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The 

AMERICAN     FAMILY 


A  SOCIOLOGICAL  PROBLEM 

BY 

FRANK   N.    HAGAR,   A.B.,  LL.B. 

Cornell  Class  of  '73. 


The  University  Publishing  Society 

41     Lafayette    Place 

New  York 
1905 


Copyright,  1905,  by 
The  Publishing  Society  of  New  York 


All  Rights  Reserved 


FOREWORD. 

It  Is  the  aim  of  this  book  to  present  to  the  public  some  of 
the  principles  of  sociology  and  economics  applied  to  the  con- 
temporary American  family,  with  intervals  of  literary  rests 
and  elucidations  that  may  appeal  to  the  artistic  sense.  It  is 
written  from  the  standpoint  of  a  lawyer,  with  an  attempt  to 
embody  the  logical  habits  that  should  exist  in  one  whose  life 
work  has  largely  been  in  the  active  practice  of  that  profes- 
sion, and  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  independent  collegiate 
student  who  has  spent  an  extended  leisure  of  several  years  in 
the  field  of  sociology,  especially  as  applied  to  the  family. 
There  has  been  an  endeavor  to  avoid  bias  and  narrowness  in 
the  treatment  of  this  theme  which  is  especially  subject  to  par- 
tiality and  error,  on  account  of  the  mists  that  obscure  any 
comparative  view  of  immediate  social  conditions,  and  of  the 
social  influences  that  affect  anyone  who  gives  public  expres- 
sion to  ideas,  that  may  conflict  with  general  opinion  upon  a 
matter  of  such  vital  interest  to  all.  Because  of  the  greatness 
and  importance  of  the  topic,  it  could  only  be  extensively 
treated  in  a  work  of  this  size  by  the  utmost  brevity  of  style, 
and  by  leaving  unexpressed  a  very  large  portion  of  the  inter- 
mediate ideas  that  might  have  rendered  reading  easier  and 
more  attractive  to  many.  If  there  be  found  gaps  in  the  lines 
of  thinking,  it  is  asked  that  the  reader  fill  up  the  intervals  with 
his  own  connecting  thought. 

By  the  Author, 

Frank  N.  Hagar. 


1M9SS6 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 
Love   and   Livelihood. 

(i)  Home.  (2)  The  Two  Elements.  (3)  Tlie  Social  End.  (4)  The 
Two  Elements  Distinct.     (5)  Nature  of  Love. 

CHAPTER   I. 
Genesis  of  Sex. 

(i)  Beginning  of  Sex.  (2)  Second  Stage.  (3)  Third  Stage.  (4; 
Metabolism.     (5)  Unlikeness  of  Sex. 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Family  Institution. 

(i)  Race  Instinct.  (2)  Attraction  of  Sex.  (3)  Attraction  of  Un- 
likeness. (4)  Survival.  (5)  Family  Institution.  (6)  Civilization  a 
Growth. 

CHAPTER  III. 
Forms  of  the  Family  and  Social  Organization. 

(i)  Promiscuity  and  the  Matriarchate.  (2)  The  Patriarchate.  (3) 
Patriarchial  Government.  (4)  Polygamy.  (5)  Monogamy  and  Love. 
(6)  Love  and  Fear. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Economic   Family. 

(i)  Interests  of  Love  and  Wealth.  (2)  The  Pecuniary  Disadvantage 
of  the  Family.  (3)  Modern  Disadvantages  to  the  Family.  (4)  Costs  of 
Family  Elsewhere.  (5)  Motives  to  Form  a  Family.  (6)  Cultures 
Necessary. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Romantic    Love   of  Men. 

(i)  Man's  Gift,  His  Love  to  Woman.  (2)  Unlikeness  the  Cause. 
(3)  Variation  in  Romantic  Love.  (4)  Nature  of  Emotion.  (5)  Chas- 
tity.    (6)   Beauty.     (7)   Possession. 


vi  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Pagan  Cultures  of  the  Family. 

(i)  Ancestor  Worship.  (2)  The  Household  Gods.  (3)  Chastity  of 
Women.  (4)  Paternal  Power.  (5)  Warriors.  (6)  Wife  and  Children 
Property.     (7)  Their  Altruism. 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Christian  Cultures  of  the  Family. 

(i)  Religion  as  a  Force.  (2)  Christianity.  (3)  Conjugal  Love.  (4) 
The  Star  of  Childhood.     (5)  Chastity.     (6)  Patria  Potestas. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Puritan  Family. 

(i)  Harmony  of  the  Individual  and  Social  End.  (2)  The  Puritans. 
(3)  Puritan  Energy.  (4)  Number  of  the  Puritans.  (5)  French  and 
English  Colonists.     (6)  French  and  English  Population. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Decadence  of  the  Northern  Yankees 

(i)  Increase  of  Population,  Table  I  of  the  United  States.  (2)  Pres- 
ent Number  of  the  Yankees,  Table  II  Number  of  Immigrants.  (3)  Table 
III  Population  of  the  North  Atlantic  Division,  Table  IV  Population 
of  the  North  Central  Division,  Table  V  Population  of  the  South  Atlantic 
Division,  Table  VI  Population  of  the  South  Central  Division,  Table  VII 
Population  of  the  Western  Division.  (4)  Northern  and  Southern 
Yankees.     (5)  Resettlement.     (6)  Causes  of  the  Decadence. 

CHAPTER  X. 
Equality  of  the  Sexes. 

(i)  Evolution  of  Ideas.  (2)  Equality.  (3)  Logical  End  of  Equal- 
ity. (4)  Effect  of  Free  Marriage.  (5)  The  Ties  of  Marriage.  (6)  Fe- 
male Suffrage.     (7)   Effect  of  Equality.     (8)   Equality  Against  Nature. 

CHAPTER  XL 
Occupations  of  Women. 

(i)  Number  Employed,  Tables  VIII  &  IX.  (2)  Causes  of  Woman's 
Employment.  (3)  Effect  on  Marriage.  (4)  Good  Effects.  (5)  Effect 
on  Chastity.  (6)  Evil  Effect  and  Cure.  (7)  Power  and  Responsibility 
Coextensive. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  vii 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Economic  Freedom. 

(i)  Family,  an  Economic  Society.  (2)  Its  Unity.  (3)  Coextensive 
Responsibility.  (4)  Right  to  Property.  (5)  Economic  Freedom,  a 
Dream. 

CHAFPER  XIII. 

The  Matrimonial   Law. 

(i)  Contract  of  Marriage.  (2)  Husband's  Rights.  (3)  Presump- 
tion as  to  Husband's  Superiority.  (4)  Legal  Right  to  Free  Love.  (5) 
Community  Property.  (6)  Basis  of  the  Wife's  Rights.  (7)  Confusion 
in  the  Law. 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

Separation  and  Divorce. 

(i)  Remarriage.  (2)  Horror  of  Separation.  (3)  Temporary  Ali- 
mony. (4)  Damages  the  Basis  of  Alimony.  (5)  Policy  should  be  to 
Check  Divorces.     (6)  Causes  and  Remedies. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Warfare   of   Sex. 

(i)  Sex  Warfare  Contrary  to  Nature.  (2)  Slavery  of  Women.  (3) 
Woman,  a  Chief  Social  Factor.  (4)  The  Age  of  Consent.  (5)  Dan- 
gers of  Sex  Warfare.  (6)  Exclusive  Social  Clubs.  (7)  Love,  the  Anti- 
dote. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Tendency  to  Free  Love. 

(i)  Emotional  Thinking.  (2)  Freedom  of  Emotions.  (3)  Free 
Love.  (4)  American  Courtship.  (5)  Belovedness.  (6)  The  Child,  a 
Remedy. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
The    Drunken   and    Dissipated   Patriarch. 

(i)  The  Patriarch  Drinking.  (2)  The  Patriarch  Gambling.  (3) 
Coercion  by  Law.  (4)  Reform  by  Love.  (5)  Woman's  Selection.  (6) 
Vices  and  Virtues  Mixed. 


viii  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
The  Effect  of  Education  on  the   Family. 

(i)  Education  as  an  Aid  to  the  Family.  (2)  Coeducation.  (3) 
Paralyzing  Antinomies.  (4)  Higher  Education  of  Women.  (5)  Physical 
Culture.     (6)  Effect  of  the  Schools.     (7)  Family  Ideals. 

CHAPTER   XIX. 
Survival  of  the  Underlivers. 

(i)  The  Underlivers.  (2)  Industrial  Invaders.  (3)  Standard  of  Liv- 
ing. (4)  Causes  of  Infertility.  (5)  A  Country  is  its  People.  (6)  Perils 
of  Immigration. 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Survival  of  the  Fittest. 

(i)  Survival,  the  Ideal  of  Progress.  (2)  Feeling  and  Function.  (3) 
Malthusianism.  (4)  Spurners  of  Love  Unfit  to  Live.  (5)  Unfit  Indi- 
vidualism.    (6)   Reward  of  Love. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Interrelation  of  Industry  with  the  Family. 

(i)  The  Property  Right.  (2)  Democracy  and  Plutocracy.  (3) 
Property  Essential  to  the  Family.  (4)  Parallelisms.  (5)  Let  Alone. 
(6)    Progress  a  Slow   Growth. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
American  Individualism  and  the  Family. 

(i)  Origin  of  Group  Feelings.  (2)  Cause  of  American  Individual- 
ism. (3)  Individualism  Hostile  to  the  Family.  (4)  Past  and  Present 
Bonds.     (5)  "Young  America."     (6)  The  Home  is  the  Remedy. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Democracy  and  the  Family. 

(i)  Democracy,  a  Social  Force.  (2)  An  Aid  to  the  Family.  (3) 
Dethronement  of  Personal  Sway.  (4)  Nobility  of  Wives.  (5)  Institu- 
tions, the  Work  of  Nature.     (6)  Love,  the  Foe  of  Selfishness. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Forecast. 

(i)  Changing  Social  Sentiments.  (2)  The  Population.  (3)  The 
Course  of  Ideas.  (4)  Maternity.  (5)  The  Burning  Question.  (6)  Pro- 
gress Inevitable.     (7)  The  Family  Ideal. 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


INTRODUCTION. 

Love  and  Livelihood. 


( 1 )  Home. 

HOME,  around  which  cluster  charms  and  attrac- 
tions of  love  and  living,  where  the  real  and 
ideal  may  ever  meet,  is  said  to  be  the  word, 
the  sweetest  and  richest  to  the  American 
mind. 
But  home  means  simply  the  family  in  its  nest,  its  abiding 
place,  though  plain  and  humble,  where  all  gather,  eat,  sleep, 
and  have  their  common  livelihood,  breathing  an  ambient  air, 
radiant  with  many  tinted  hues  of  cheering,  inspiring  love. 

Love  makes  the  home  the  garden  of  Eden,  with  its  rivers, 
trees,  and  flowers,  and  every  grace  and  mark  of  beauty  that 
nature  can  afford,  but  intertwined  with  love,  as  a  twin  ele- 
ment to  make  up  the  family,  is  livelihood,  wherein  arise  the 
claims  of  hunger,  appetite  and  bodily  needs,  "the  thorns 
and  thistles"  to  be  rid  of,  by  the  "sweat  of  thy  face." 

Out  of  the  garden  of  love  at  least  for  a  while,  must  Adam 
go  to  toil. 

( 2 )  The  Two  Elements. 

Science  presents  in  heavier  terms  and  side  by  side  the  same 
two  elements,  reproduction  or  altruism,  and  nutrition  or  the 
struggle  for  existence,  each  inversely  proportional  to  the 
other. 

2 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


Society  presents  the  same  dual  forces,  and  here  the  war- 
ring elements  seem  to  be  still  in  actual  conflict,  though  in  that 
conflict  there  is  a  final  harmony.  The  individual  must  every 
day  direct  his  step,  his  hand,  his  thought,  to  feed  and  clothe 
himself,  or  make  provision  for  his  own.  How  natural  then 
that  his  mind  should  come  to  think  only  of  his  interest  and 
end.  But  here  also  love  must  come  to  the  rescue,  must  lead 
the  mind  and  heart  of  this  concentered  one  out  from  that 
narrow,  darkened,  sordid  cell  of  self  into  the  open,  where 
the  blazing  light  of  nature  shows  a  grand  and  beauteous 
world,  and  thousands  of  other  minds  and  hearts  as  good  or 
better  than  his  own.  Now  to  him  must  come  a  common  or 
social  interest,  and  a  common  or  social  end. 

(3)  The  Social  End. 

It  is  this  interest  in  and  pursuit  of  a  social  end,  and  the 
social  thinking  that  it  inspires,  that  we  crave  from  readers  of 
this  work.  It  is  the  design  herein  to  present  the  family  from 
a  social  point  of  view.  For  that  purpose  it  must  be  presented 
to  the  vision  somewhat  at  a  distance,  that  there  may  be  per- 
spective. A  mountain  cannot  be  seen  by  one  hidden  by  the 
tangled  brush  upon  Its  slope ;  an  ocean  cannot  be  grasped  by 
one  in  a  skiff  In  Its  midst,  nor  a  huge  forest  understood  when 
the  would  be  viewer  cannot  see  a  rod  around,  nor  the  sky. 

All  lie  concealed  In  a  deeply  colored  mist  that  floats  about 
the  family,  where  all  are  born,  have  lived  and  got  Its  tinted 
hue.  We  must  step  out,  and  rest  awhile  upon  a  distant  rock, 
thence  gaze  with  piercing  eyes  upon  the  wondrous  structure 
we  have  left  behind.  Let  the  colors  disappear,  and  the  white 
light  from  heaven  fall  upon  it,  but  leave  it  still  in  all  its  love- 
liness, that  with  deepest  ardor  we  may  trace  its  every  line  of 
grace,  and  perfect  form.  Let  us  think  together  along  a  social 
line,  and  leave  behind  the  struggling  individual  desires  and 
motives  to  exhaust  their  antagonistic  energies  upon  them- 
selves.    Let  us  awhile  only  regard  the  social  life  and  body, 


LOVE  AND  LIVELIHOOD  19 

sentiments  and  ends,  and  study  that  wonderful  institution, 
encircled  by  this  social  life,  its  center  and  radiating  cause,  the 
family. 

(4)  The  Two  Elements,  Distinct. 

Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  society  is  a  very  complex  struc- 
ture ;  that  it  resembles  a  body  of  water  where  every  portion 
affects  every  other  portion,  that  many  causes  operate,  cooper- 
ate or  oppose,  that  reason  is  restricted  to  the  task  of  abstract- 
ing a  single  cause  at  a  time,  weighing,  measuring,  and  com- 
paring it  with  other  causes,  and  giving  to  each,  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, its  bearing  and  effect. 

Thus,  in  the  family  we  find  two  twin  elements,  which  we 
have  called  love  and  livelihood,  that  enter  as  causes  and 
components,  and  constitute  its  structure,  and  which  may  be 
compared  to  the  oxygen  and  hydrogen  of  water.  It  is  partic- 
ularly a  design  of  this  work,  running  through  the  several 
chapters,  to  separate,  hold  aloof  in  reason,  and  consider  these 
two  elements.  The  family  cannot  live  and  thrive  without 
them  both,  and  each  in  itself  must  be  regarded  and  perfected. 

True  family  love  as  known  in  modern  life  could  not  exist 
without  the  economic  structure  and  permanent  relations  of 
the  married  state,  nor  could  the  economic  family  persist 
without  the  charms  and  bonds  of  love.  The  economic  family 
has  its  special  rules  and  laws  and  forces  that  belong  to  all 
economic  societies,  and  which  must  be  followed  and  obeyed. 
Likewise  love  has  its  own  laws  and  forces  that  move,  incite, 
and  transfuse  every  part  of  nature. 

( 5 )  Nature  of  Love, 

Love  in  nature  is  a  centripetal,  integrating,  creative  force 
that  draws  together  all  the  wandering  and  ramifying  elements 
and  parts  into  a  whole  or  unity,  all  performed  with  an  appar- 
ent purpose  and  design.  In  human  life  also,  true  love  must 
be  connected  with  a  rational  plan  and  purpose. 

But  love  must  be  revealed,  not  merely  to  the  cold  intellect 


20  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

that  only  sees  the  skeleton  of  things  and  their  relations,  but  to 
the  living  feeling  soul;  hence,  love's  sublime  emotion,  the  loft- 
iest and  noblest  of  them  all,  because  it  represents  the  greatest 
and  the  noblest  deeds.  If  one  were  asked,  when  did  nature 
first  reveal  to  a  dim  consciousness  the  glimmering  dawn  of 
love,  the  answer  might  be,  "to  the  spellbound  hearts  of  the 
first  mating  pair;"  but  love,  the  light  of  day,  in  a  clear  sky, 
first  rose  and  beamed  in  constant  brightness,  in  the  female  for 
her  young,  in  the  mother  for  her  child. 

The  greatest  is  not  he  that  rules,  but  he  that  loves;  and 
of  the  lovers  those  surpass  that  love  the  worthiest  object.  Of 
earthly  things,  the  worthiest  object  of  human  love  is  the  help- 
less innocent  babe,  the  bud  of  promise,  and  the  sacred  treasure 
for  future  joys. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Genesis  of  Sex. 
( I )    Beginning  of  Sex. 

THE  idea  contained  In  the  word  structure,  or  the 
arrangement  of  parts  to  the  whole,  seems  to 
be  pivotal  In  the  modern  scientific  mind.  All 
transformation  or  forming  of  things  occurs 
by  a  change  of  structure.  In  biology  we  have 
the  cell  as  the  unit,  which  by  a  change  in  its  internal  struc- 
ture, and  by  Its  changing  position  in  the  body,  produces  the 
phenomenon  of  growth.  The  cell  itself  changes  up  to  a  cer- 
tain limit,  and  then  subdivides  by  fission,  and  each  part 
begins  the  change  anew. 

But  the  process  of  subdivision  itself  must  have  a  rhythm 
with  an  apparently  contrary  tendency,  or  a  combination. 
Whether  the  constantly  subdivided  cells  eventually  lose  a 
part  of  their  necessary  content,  or  become  lacking  in  positive 
or  negative  polarity,  magnetism  or  current,  we  find,  even  In 
the  first  forms  of  unicellular  life,  the  protozoa,  a  combina- 
tion or  conjugation  of  cells,  which  gives  a  renewed  vigor  and 
rejuvenescence  to  the  course  of  life.  This  combination  seems 
to  be  necessary  and  effectual  when  the  original  cells  have  se- 
parated far  In  likeness,  or  become  differentiated.  Also  by  this 
differentiation  there  arises  a  difference  of  potential,*  that 
leads  to  attractive  power  and  becomes  one  of  the  greatest 
sources  of  energy.  The  beginning  of  sex  lies  in  the  fact 
of  this  combination,  by  which  also  there  exists,  in  the  per- 
petuation of  life,  a  physical  immortality. 


*Pure  Sociology,   Lester  F.   Ward,  p.   231-308. 


22  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(2)  Second  Stage. 

A  second  stage  in  the  development  of  sex  appears  in  the 
multicellular  organisms  or  metazoa.  In  this  case  there 
appears  in  the  organism  a  setting  apart  of  special  reproduc- 
tive cells,  while  the  other  and  ordinary  cells  known  as  body 
cells  continue  their  work  to  build  up  the  body.  The  parent 
organism  is  still  unisexual  or  hermaphroditic,  but  the  repro- 
ductive cells  soon  begin  to  be  marked  and  differentiated  as 
male  or  female.  With  farther  evolution  the  qualities  of  male 
and  female  become  more  strongly  marked.  New  life  then 
only  becomes  possible  by  the  combination  of  these  unlike 
cells.    This  stage  is  predominant  in  plants. 

(3)  Third  Stage. 

A  third  stage  of  development  is  reached  when  the  organ- 
isms started  by  the  combination  of  reproductive  cells,  them- 
selves differentiate  and  become  separate;  the  one  kind  with 
the  capacity  to  generate  only  female  reproductive  cells;  the 
other,  only  male  cells.  It  is  only  in  this  stage  that  we  have 
real  sex  as  is  generally  understood,  wherein  the  higher  animal 
organism  that  represents  life  and  incipient  consciousness,  is  by 
its  nature  male  or  female. 

As  at  the  beginning  among  the  protozoa  there  was  a  con- 
tinual separation  as  to  likeness  among  the  cells  until  combina- 
tion became  necessary,  so  now  the  same  growing  unlikeness 
occurs,  not  only  in  the  cells  themselves,  but  in  the  parent 
organisms  that  generate  them. 

(4)  Metabolism. 

But  the  process  of  cell  growth  and  life  contains  another 
rhythm,  that  of  construction  and  destruction.  The  former 
would  seem  to  be  allied  to  mere  growth,  the  latter  to  the  activ- 
ity of  life.  This  process  of  change  is  known  as  metabolism. 
The  building  up  or  constructive  feature  Is  anabolism;  the 
destructive  or  active  element,  katabolism.  Anabolism  Is  essen- 
tially nutritive  and  fuller  of  nourishing  tissue,  while  katabol- 


GENESIS  OF  SEX  23 

ism  Is  sparer  and  more  active.  The  central  scientific  fact 
seems  to  be  that  the  female  is  chiefly  anabolic,  while  the  male 
is  katabolic. 

Indeed,  this  difference  appears  in  fainter  traces  back  among 
the  protozoa,  and  grows  stronger  and  more  apparent  In 
advancing  life.  When  the  parent  organism  itself  becomes 
distinctly  sexed,  anabolism  or  katabolism  becomes  respectively 
fixed  in  the  organism,  and  now  that  feature  of  each  serves  a 
special  purpose.  The  maternal  organism,  having  the  brunt 
of  reproduction  to  bear,  in  providing  the  germ  with  food 
material  in  the  ova,  or  nourishing  it  in  the  body,  or  by  nour- 
ishment and  care  subsequently,  is  provided  by  virtue  of  the 
anabolic  tendency  Avith  surplus  material;  while  the  paternal 
organism  has  that  superior  strength  and  energy  in  the  higher 
animals  and  man,  which  in  civilization  serves  to  labor  and 
protect, 

(5)    Unlikeness  of  Sex. 

If  now  we  start  from  the  standpoint  of  actual  sex,  a  living 
developed  organism  with  sex,  male  or  female,  and  note  the 
process  of  differentiation  in  such  organism,  we  find  constantly 
appearing  and  growing  more  marked,  as  life  advances  into 
higher  stages,  distinctive  forms,  qualities,  and  traits  of  sex, 
known  as  primary  sex  qualities,  or  such  as  are  directly 
involved  in  reproduction.  These  are  much  more  prominent 
and  important  in  the  female,  so  that  her  actual  life  and  sphere 
are  far  more  directly  affected  by  sex  than  the  male:  Second, 
we  have  the  secondary  sex  qualities,  the  developments  from 
sex,  but  only  indirectly  connected  with  reproduction,  and  these 
are  far  more  conspicuous  in  the  male.  He  becomes  more 
muscular  in  the  higher  animals,  larger  and  fitted  in  disposition 
and  body  for  fighting.  The  superior  variation  of  the  male 
arising  from  his  katabolism  results  in  the  plumage  of  male 
birds,  and  other  characteristics  including  natural  weapons  of 
defense. 


24  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Nor  does  this  process  of  Increasing  unlikeness  change  in  any 
stage  of  the  evolution.  The  differences  between  male  and 
female  among  savages,  even  in  bodily  structure,  are  far  less 
than  among  the  civilized,  and  increase  with  growing  civiliza- 
tion. That  a  portion  of  this  may  be  due  to  environment,  or 
sex  spheres  or  institutions  may  be  true,  but  what  are  institu- 
tions in  the  main,  but  a  continuance  of  natural  processes, 
though  they  may  originate  In  part  from  the  conscious  human 
mind?  An  approximation  then  to  likeness  of  sex  can  be  no 
proper  Ideal,  and  is  against  the  course  of  nature. 

(6)    Comparative  Qualities  of  Sex. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  male  among  the  higher 
animals  and  man,  after  passing  through  the  course  of  develop- 
ment of  the  female,  subsequently  assumes  other  and  appar- 
ently higher  characteristics  and  qualities,  It  has  appeared  to 
scientific  men  as  Darwin  and  Spencer,  that  woman  is  a  case 
of  the  undeveloped  or  the  arrested  development  of  man. 

This  in  a  measure  is  physically  true,  but  it  would  seem 
somewhat  strange  and  unjust,  that  in  the  creation  of  conscious 
human  beings  woman  did  not  have  a  compensating  factor,  a 
factor  of  superiority  to  equal  or  balance  the  superior  element 
In  man,  a  factor  pertaining  to  the  mind  or  soul,  and  not  merely 
to  the  body.  Woman  does,  indeed,  possess  this  superior  ele- 
ment or  factor,  and  the  basis  of  it  lies  in  her  very  nature  and 
constitution.  It  is  the  element  of  superior  sensibility,  that  takes 
by  feeling  nature's  concrete  picture  and  which  arises  from  that 
delicate  body  formation  required  for  reproduction,  and  the 
love  made  for  and  called  forth  by  maternity. 

REFERENCES. 

Geddes  and  Thompson.  Evolution  of  Sex.  Also  C.  Darwin,  A.  R.  Wallace,  and 
A,  Weissmann. 


CHAPTER  11. 

The   Family  Institution. 
(  I )    Race  Instinct. 

THERE  seems  to  be  in  the  scientific  mind  an  insa- 
tiable desire  to  proceed,  step  by  step,  from  the 
lowest  grades  of  unconscious  nature  to  the 
highest  forms  of  conscious  civilized  society. 
Such  a  continuity  so  far  as  it  can  be  traced 
would  accord  with  either  creation  or  evolution.  Only  when 
consciousness  is  reached  in  the  scale,  let  it  not  be  considered 
merely  a  "physical  obstruction  to  a  more  perfect  reflex 
action;"  but  rather  as  the  great  phase  of  created  nature, 
where  a  hidden  force  as  of  mind  seeming  heretofore  to  make, 
direct  and  form  everything  for  a  progressive  purpose  and 
adaptation,  now  begins  to  burst  forth  into  an  individual  feel- 
ing and  consciousness  to  continue  until  the  full  orbed  intelli- 
gence of  man  surveys  the  universe. 

Into  this  individual  consciousness  come  instincts,  impulses, 
and  feelings  which  contain  purposes  necessary  to  lead  and 
guide  the  individual,  or  him  collectively  the  social  being  on  to 
the  highest  ends.  He  feels  the  instinct  or  sentiment,  though 
he  may  not  yet  perceive  the  end.  These  instincts  serve  an 
individual  end  for  the  purpose  of  the  individual's  life,  or  a 
social  end  for  the  purpose  of  the  social  life,  and  in  the  latter 
case  are  called  race  instincts.  Now  it  is  the  province  of 
psychology  to  grasp  and  formulate  these  first  instincts  or  senti- 
ments, and  when  they  are  social,  it  is  for  social  science  to 
build  upon  them. 


26  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(2)  Attraction  of  Sex. 

The  physical  attraction  of  sex  brings  together  the  first 
human  pair,  more  probably  solitary  than  gregarious,  and 
between  that  pair  the  first  rude  elements  of  love  and  mutual 
aid  are  enkindled,  the  first  culture  begins,  a  society  of  a  single 
family  is  formed.  With  the  appearance  of  children,  mother- 
hood, fatherhood,  and  brotherhood  take  their  rise,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  a  community  of  spirit  is  engendered,  that  holds 
the  descending  family  together  even  for  several  generations 
until  a  clan  or  tribe  is  formed.  From  this  association  there 
arise  certain  underlying  social  sentiments,  rooted  in  the  indi- 
vidual nature  from  the  beginning,  but  unfolded  and  developed 
by  this  intercourse.  These  sentiments  form  a  foundation 
from  which  spring  the  common  feeling,  interest  and  thinking 
of  the  group. 

(3)  Attraction  of  Unlikeness. 

Among  the  first  things  to  observe  generally  with  all  races 
and  tribes  is  the  special  attractiveness  of  one  sex  to  another, 
when  unlike  and  distant,  as  seen  in  the  tendency  to  go  out 
from  the  tribe  for  wives,  as  in  exogamy,  rather  than  take 
them  from  within  the  tribe,  as  in  endogamy.  Also  the  same 
principle  appears  in  the  aversion  of  sex  feeling  towards 
another  of  opposite  sex,  but  near  of  blood  or  kin,  as  seen  In 
the  horror  of  incest  common  to  almost  every  people.  Attrac- 
tion of  sex  also  has  its  limits,  and  when  the  boundary  of  the 
kind  or  species  is  reached,  there  may  be  a  sex  aversion  toward 
another  race  of  different  color  or  form,  whence  may  arise  a 
spirit  of  caste.  In  this  case  women  as  well  as  men  might  by  a 
conquering  race  be  made  slaves  for  labor  alone,  instead  of 
wives. 

From  the  impulse  to  exogamy  we  have  the  capture  or  pur- 
chase of  wives,  the  commingling  of  blood,  and  the  invigora- 
tion  of  a  growing  race.  Wife  capture  was  then  in  the  main 
the  exercise  of  a  natural  salutary  instinct.     It  was  not  actual 


THE  FAMILY  INSTITUTION  27 

rape,  a  thing  contrary  to  the  nature  of  both  man  and  beast, 
and  chiefly  a  diseased  and  insane  condition  of  mind,  due  to  the 
restrictions  and  concomitant  exposures  of  modern  civilized 
life.  Wives  so  captured,  however  rigorously  treated  at  first, 
were  not  slaves,  but  were  treated  with  an  ever  increasing  kind- 
ness. The  rearing  of  children  was  then,  as  now,  by  many 
deemed  expensive,  and  they  were  often  sold  for  remuneration. 
Among  many,  daughters  were  esteemed  of  less  value  than  sons, 
a  fact  which  led  to  female  infanticide.  But  daughters  for 
the  purpose  of  wives  were  of  value,  so  that  in  a  rude  age, 
fathers  would  sell  them  for  that  purpose,  at  first  receiving  the 
compensation  themselves,  but  with  advancing  culture,  the 
purchase  price  would  either  go  directly  to  or  be  secured  for 
the  wife,  and  hence  we  have  modern  dower. 

Also  in  different  stages  of  primitive  society,  when  wives 
were  deemed  less  valuable,  or  the  expense  of  keeping  them 
greater,  the  father  would  bestow  gifts  upon  the  future  hus- 
band, and  hence  we  have  the  dowry,  very  common  in  Con- 
tinental Europe,  and  now  appearing  to  arise  in  the  United 
States,  especially  to  obtain  titled  husbands.*  After  some 
development  both  dowers  and  dowries  would  often  be 
bestowed  together  at  marriage. 

(4)    Survival. 

Around  the  incipient  race  spring  up  customs  and  primitive 
systems  of  morality,  and  probably  at  the  very  beginning,  when 
a  dim  consciousness  of  the  mysterious  operations  of  nature,  of 
birth,  life  and  death  appear,  the  first  glimmerings  of  religion, 
a  race  instinct^  enter  the  common  mind  afterwards  to  become 
a  leading  factor  and  cause  in  all  social  phenomena  and  pro- 
gress. Rites,  ceremonies,  forms  of  marriage,  chastity,  con- 
tinuity of  the  married  state  are  gradually  moulded  as  prin- 


•Dowries  may  be  expected  to  increase  in   the  United   States,   controlled  however 
by  the  wife,  who  will  he  held  to  a  corresponding  duty  in  the  support  of  the  family. 


2_8  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

ciples  and  habits  into  the  common  mind.  Certain  tribes  sur- 
vive, while  others  pass  away. 

The  first  and  chief  cause  of  survival  will  be  the  power  of 
reproduction  and  rearing  the  young  to  maturity.  The  power 
of  physical  reproduction  may  be  alike  in  different  tribes,  but 
there  soon  arises  a  moral  quality,  in  the  careful  nurture,  or  in 
the  neglect  or  even  slaying  of  offspring,  which  latter  may  be 
either  before  or  after  birth,  feticide  or  infanticide.  There  is 
little  doubt  that  in  the  prehistoric  history  of  past  tribes  a 
vast  number  have  become  exterminated  by  reason  chiefly  of 
defective  reproduction,  and  that  those  that  have  survived  rep- 
resent a  more  perfect  and  enduring  family  structure,  and  a 
higher  morality. 

But  side  by  side  with  the  function  of  reproduction  is  the 
necessity  of  an  enduring  economic  family  structure  that  can 
survive.  The  essential  requisite  for  this  is  that  men  shall 
assist  at  least  by  nurture  in  the  care  of  offspring,  and  for  this 
they  must  have  a  motive.  Natural  love  must  be  continued 
beyond  the  period  of  courtship,  and  must  be  supplemented  by 
the  pride  of  possession,  the  desire  for  power  and  control. 
When  the  institution  of  property  arises,  there  must  be  a  free 
motive  to  induce  fathers  to  share  the  fruits  of  that  property 
with  the  family.  Natural  love  would  thus  by  a  continued 
association  increasingly  develop,  which  with  thrift  and  excel- 
lence In  economic  conditions  would  constitute  the  two  prime 
elements  of  strength  and  survival. 

Also  man,  like  the  males  of  animals,  possesses  the  fighting 
instinct  against  others  of  his  own  sex.  Wars  will  arise,  and 
the  strongest  tribe  or  nation  will  prevail,  and  may  thereby 
survive. 

(5)    Family  Institution. 

Thus  from  primitive  love  and  economic  unity,  the  family 
grows  Into  the  tribe  or  nation,  and  around  It  cluster  the  com- 
mon sentiments,  interests,  and  beliefs,  that  constitute  its  life 


THE  FAMILY  INSTITUTION  29 

and  energy.  These  first  principles  of  its  being  form  a  mov- 
ing psychic  force  upon  each  individual,  though  he  may  not 
understand  the  social  end.  They  are  embodied  in  the  laws, 
customs,  and  beliefs  of  a  people,  sanctioned  and  energized  by 
its  religion,  by  an  authority  beyond  the  rational  self,  which 
may  only  forecast  the  individual  end.  These  family  senti- 
ments or  first  principles  form  the  structure  and  the  family 
institution,  and  are  interw^oven  and  firmly  fastened  into  all  the 
institutions  and  customs  of  the  larger  tribe  or  state,  so  that 
the  whole  is  an  entire  and  compound  structure. 

The  family  constitutes  the  foundation  or  trunk  of  the  social 
system.  Its  love  is  the  spiritual  germ  that  spreads  through- 
out the  social  body,  and  its  economic  unity  is  the  type  of  future 
industrial  associations  and  governments.  Its  formation  is 
natural,  laid  far  back  in  the  recesses  of  creation.  It  presents 
the  mystery  of  a  common  feeling,  the  secret  force  of  all  social 
life.  This  love  is  a  rhythmic  love  made  by  nature  after  her 
flight  into  the  diversity  of  unlikeness,  when  she  comes  back  to 
her  own  true  self  in  unity.  From  this  unity  spring  forth  many 
new  and  living  forms  in  social  groups  whose  breath  and  life 
are  common,  and  whose  power  lies  in  the  fact  that  they  the 
many  are  but  one.  Only  thus  unified,  can  the  many  build  up  a 
cultured  world. 

(6)'   Civilization  a  Growth. 

Civilization  is  then  a  continuation  of  the  great  world  pro- 
cess from  the  beginning,  an  interplay  of  unity  and  diversity, 
of  likeness  and  unlikeness,  wherein  human  society,  founded  in 
the  secret  shrines  of  love,  presents  in  strongest  perspective 
the  plan.  What  though  man's  consciousness,  his  feelings, 
intellect  and  will  lie  in  the  path:  his  power  of  choice  is 
Implicit,  and  can  guide  his  own  small  self  to  duty.  For  him  it 
is  significant,  for  the  universe  it  is  nothing:  for,  above  and 
below  and  on  every  side  about  him,  are  presented  iron  fast- 
nesses of  nature's  law  and  order,  so  that  his  feeble  arm  is  well 


30  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

nigh  neutralized  at  every  blow.     Like  the  physical  order,  so 
the  social  order  comes  forth,  for  him  merely  to  study  and 

apply- 
There  also  he  may  simply  aid  and  hasten  the  natural  adap- 
tation. Institutions  spring  up  about  him ;  they  vary,  and  may 
seem  contradictory  in  different  societies.  Perhaps  he  may 
modify  them  and  gradually  mould  them  into  new  forms,  but 
he  cannot  eradicate  them  without  destroying  the  original 
structure.  The  government,  the  family  system  or  the  religion 
of  any  people,  can  only  be  changed  by  the  most  careful  sub- 
stitution of  other  natural  and  fitting  institutions  to  take  their 
place.  Even  then  such  substitutions  cannot  be  merely  plan- 
ned, or  artificial,  they  must  be  things  of  growth  and  adapt- 
able :  that  is,  purpose  must  wait  upon  natural  development 
until  every  experiment  of  design  is  found  to  meet  the  intended 
end  in  practice. 

NOTE. — "General  beliefs  are  the  indispensable  pillars  of  civilization:  they  deter- 
mine the  trend  of  ideas.  They  alone  are  capable  of  inspiring  faith,  and  creating  a 
sense  of  duty.     Le  Bon,  The  Crowd,   p.    150 

REFERENCES. 

On  Race  Morality,  Lester  F.  Ward.     Pure  Sociology  185  and  419; 
Social  Evolution,   Benj.   Kidd. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Forms  of  the  Family  and  Social  Organization. 
( I )    Promiscuity  and  the  Matriarchate. 

THREE  forms  of  social  organization  affect- 
ing the  family  will  naturally  arise,  over 
which  as  to  their  extent  and  order  there 
has  been  much  controversy,  but  the  more 
natural  order  seems  to  be:  ist  commun- 
ism with  more  or  less  promiscuity,  2nd  the  matri- 
archate, mother  right  or  descent  through  the  maternal 
line,  and  3rd  the  patriarchate,  father  right  or  descent  through 
the  paternal  line  and  more  absolute  authority  in  the  father. 
The  first  would  lack  an  economic  basis  to  develop  property, 
and  a  permanent  family  basis  to  develop  love.  It  might  seem 
to  be  an  ideal  for  the  liberty  of  woman,  giving  her  appar- 
ently a  greater  power  of  selection.  It  might  seem  to  be  an 
ideal  of  freedom  to  escape  the  fancied  tyranny  of  property,  as 
appears  in  the  modern  longing  for  socialism.  To  preserve 
that  socialistic  type  of  organization  it  had  advantages  far 
stronger  than  modern  civilized  life  with  its  strongest  com- 
munistic religion,  could  possibly  hope  for,  that  inveterate  obe- 
dience to  custom,  that  horror  to  break  from  it  that  character- 
izes the  primitive  mind.    Yet  it  could  not  long  survive. 

The  mother  right  is  supposed  to  have  arisen  from  the  uncer- 
tainity  of  fatherhood.  Yet  woman  was  too  weak  to  bear 
and  raise  offspring  without  help.  That  had  only  been  possi- 
ble with  animals.  Either  there  must  be  a  community  of  prop- 
erty in  the  clan,  or  the  mother's  male  kin,  father  and  brothers, 
must  assume  the  responsibility  of  support,  and  hence  control. 


32  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

This  latter  is  the  condition  in  which  the  matriarchate  is 
found  in  historical,  or  any  existing  societies,  as  in  Africa  or 
the  Indians  of  America.  It  did  not  make  a  gynocracy,  or 
government  by  woman,  but  rather  a  rule  by  her  male  kin, 
though  it  may  have  afforded  her  a  greater  degree  of  power. 

The  weakness  of  the  matriarchate  would  lie  in  its  lack  of 
concentrated  power  and  interest.  It  would  naturally  be  con- 
nected with  a  communistic  society,  and  go  but  little  beyond  it. 
There  must  be  a  union  of  interest  in  husband  and  wife.  The 
interest  of  the  mother's  male  kin  would  be  divided.  Within 
the  nominal  matriarchate  sooner  or  later  would  arise  the 
paternal  power,  and  the  chief  features  of  the  patriarchate, 
though  long  would  linger  inheritance  of  property,  name, 
totem  and  clan  through  the  maternal  line.  It  is  this  latter 
condition  of  the  so  called  matriarchate  that  we  mostly  find  in 
known  societies  of  the  present  or  past. 

( 2 )   The  Patriarchate. 

Thus  we  have  the  patriarchate  or  father  right,  for  a  long 
time  supposed  to  be  the  only  form  of  the  family.  More  prob- 
ably it  sprang  in  many  cases  from  the  beginning  without  a 
transition  through  other  forms.  Often  it  may  have  sprung 
directly  from  a  communistic  society,  and  in  many  cases  from 
the  matriarchate.  The  knowledge  and  recognition  of  specific 
fatherhood  would  be  its  originating  cause.  It  contains  the  ele- 
ments of  unity,  economic  success  and  power,  and  has  survived 
and  substantially  transplanted  all  other  forms.  It  seems  to 
me  that  it  must  have  been  the  first,  as  well  as  in  many  cases 
the  developed  organization.  There  could  not  have  been  com- 
munistic societies  from  the  first,  except  on  the  theory  that  prim- 
itive man  was  strictly  gregarious.  On  the  other  hand,  sin- 
gle families  might  easily  unite  in  societies  where  knowledge  of 
paternity  would  be  lost,  and  thereby  the  other  forms  arise;  but 
the  extent  or  order  of  the  existence  of  these  family  forms  is  not 
so  significant.     The  important  fact  is  that  the  patriarchate, 


FAMILY  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATION      33 

both  by  theory  as  to  its  nature,  and  by  actual  evolution,  is  the 
only  proper  family  constitution  fitted  for  survival,  civilization 
and  progress.  All  the  Aryan  peoples  have  been  patriarchal 
from  their  earliest  known  formation.  Substantially  all  civili- 
zation has  been  built  upon  this  organization,  though  in  some 
inferior  civilizations  vestiges  of  the  matriarchate  remain. 

It  is  now  impossible  for  us  in  theory  to  formulate  any  other 
permanent  family  organization  unless  we  return  to  these 
former  and  superseded  forms.  In  the  endless  variety  that 
human  development  has  shown,  if  other  organizations  than 
those  discovered  had  been  possible  or  of  merit,  they  certainly 
would  have  appeared.* 

( 3 )    Patriarchal  Government. 

But  the  patriarchate  centered  the  power  in  one  head,  and 
otherwise  among  men  absolute  power  centered  in  one  leads  to 
autocratic  tyranny  and  slavery.  For  ages  this  family  system 
was  without  a  supervisory  power;  for  the  theory  of  most  gov- 
ernments in  the  past  has  been  to  regulate  the  rights  of  man 
with  man  chiefly  or  only.  The  family  has  been  left  as  an  in- 
dependent system  under  its  own  separate  direction  and  control. 
It  is  of  little  wonder,  that  among  rude  people  the  patria  pos- 
testas,  or  father's  power  would  at  times  become  extremely  tyr- 
annical. And  yet,  on  the  whole  it  may  safely  be  said,  that 
without  an  exterior  government  there  has  not  been  cruelty, 
oppression  or  slavery  as  against  the  dependent  members  of  the 
family,  more  than  would  be  naturally  characteristic  of  the 
people,  savage  or  otherwise  involved. 

The  principle  of  natural  love  and  attraction  between  the 
sexes,  and  the  love  of  offspring,  which  exists  even  with  ani- 
mals, has  persisted  through  all  stages  of  human  development. 


•It  will  be  noted,  however,  that  the  main  feature  of  a  social  communism  so 
marked  in  primitive  society,  is  still  seen,  limited  and  restricted  to  the  family  com- 
munity. 

3 


34  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Its  law  for  the  protection  of  the  weak  was  the  law  of  love 
only.  Soon  however  that  law  became  formulated  and  crys- 
talized  in  social  customs  and  religious  moral  systems,  that  cre- 
ated a  social  imperative  operating  upon  belief,  conscience 
and  public  opinion,  that  could  hardly  be  withstood.  The  wife 
and  children  of  the  stern  and  otherwise  cruel  Roman  father 
do  not  seem  to  have  essentially  suffered. 

(4)  Polygamy. 

But  the  patrlarchial  family  would  naturally  assume  two 
forms  polygamy  and  monogamy.  Polyandry,  or  the  posses- 
sion of  many  husbands,  would  rather  seem  to  be  an  excrescence 
from  the  matriarchate. 

Now  from  a  calculating  practical  point  of  view,  polygamy 
might  be  represented  by  a  specious  argument,  to  wit :  It 
would  tend  to  select  the  superior  men ;  it  would  create  a 
demand  for  women  as  wives  and  make  their  value  and  esti- 
mation as  such  higher  in  the  community,  and  give  them  no 
occasion  for  celibacy.  It  would  tend  to  distribute  and  dissi- 
pate the  accumulating  wealth  of  the  few  among  the  many, 
and  it  would  seem  better  to  preserve  population  and  ultimate 
equality.  The  laws  of  nature  are  however  more  subtle  and 
recondite  than  most  of  the  arguments  or  desires  of  men. 
Although  polygamy  has  within  itself  elements  that  enable  it 
to  survive,  its  actual  effect  in  human  history  has  been  to 
weaken  men,  and  retard  the  progress  of  civilization, 

(5)  Monogamy  and  Love. 

There  must  be  something  then  in  monogamy  that  is  more 
in  accord  with  true  nature.  It  seems  to  be  the  principle  that 
between  the  sexes  the  natural  love  is  one  towards  one,  while  in 
parenthood  the  love  is  one  toward  many.  Feelings  are  the 
wonderful  composition  that  make  up  the  soul  of  man  The 
altruistic  feelings  draw  him  out  into  the  highest  and  noblest 
deeds  and  development  of  character.    Love  contains  the  force 


FAMILY  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATION      35 

and  gist,  or  at  least  is  the  great  spring  of  these  feelings,  and 
nature's  chief  nursery  of  love  lies  in  the  monogamic  family. 
Intellect  and  love,  the  twin  forces  of  progress,  have  here 
freest  course  and  nurture. 

Man  is  to  become  stimulated  to  the  highest  action,  his  char- 
acter elevated  by  the  highest  ideals  of  chivalry,  honor  and 
nobility,  his  sense  of  art  quickened,  and  his  morals  purified  and 
made  lofty,  by  the  love  of  woman.  Woman  in  her  greatest 
thirst  for  a  substantial  equality  is  to  carry  on  a  no  less  import- 
ant task  in  civilization.  She  is  ever  to  make  and  bear  the 
light  that  comes  from  a  more  sensitive  and  delicate  soul,  that 
can  feel  and  grasp  by  sensibility,  beauty,  art,  worth  and  char- 
acter; that,  as  the  intellect  unrolls  a  new  phase  of  nature,  can 
take  the  most  perfect  picture  by  inner  sense  and  sight.  This, 
her  power,  is  chiefly  led  and  generated  by  love,  a  love  higher 
than  conjugal  love,  closer  to  the  inmost  altar  of  nature,  her 
love  of  children,  her  instincts  of  maternity. 

(6)    Love  and  Fear. 

Two  great  forces  will  be  seen  from  the  beginning  to  have 
pervaded  human  society,  love  and  fear.  In  every  form  of 
human  endeavor  will  arise  the  dual  play  of  these  two  emo- 
tions. Fear  is  effected  by  coercion,  which  becomes  necessary 
when  there  is  a  strife  between  those  supposed  to  be  equal 
to  compel  justice;  when  efficient  action  in  common  in  a 
society  is  necessary  to  compel  order,  unity  and  the  execution 
of  duty.  Coercion  is  embodied  in  the  civil  or  criminal  laws 
and  further  must  rest  in  the  authority  of  any  administrative 
head  of  a  society. 

Love,  a  still  greater  and  more  extensive  force,  had  Its 
first  birth  in  the  mystic  charm  that  drew  soul  to  soul,  unlike 
in  sex  and  in  the  cultured  colored  halo  that  surrounds  them 
each.  Its  completed  growth,  its  ripened  bud.  Its  fruition  ap- 
peared In  the  adoration  of  the  child.  Its  home  is  the  hearth 
stone  around  which  the  family  gather.     Religion  steps  to  the 


36  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

front,  garners  and  casts  back  into  the  lap  of  love,  beautified 
enlarged  and  moulded  into  art,  the  original  native  treasures 
of  the  home.  Love  inspires,  and  inspiration  even  divine 
returns  to  it  in  myriad  forms  her  radiant  hues.  Christianity 
can  now  with  the  alphabet,  the  words  and  terms  of  endearing 
love,  "father,  mother,  brother,"  natural  in  the  family,  spread 
the  sacred  fire  throughout  the  world,  the  light  to  lead  to  beau- 
ty, to  truth,  to  heaven,  here  and  hereafter. 

REFERENCES  FOR  CHAPTERS  II  AND  III. 

Maine,  Ancient   Law. 
McLennan,  Patriarchal  Family. 
Starcke,    Primitive   Family. 
Westermarck,  on  Human   Marriage. 
Howard,  on  Matrimonial  Institutions. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Economic  Family. 

( 1 )  Interests  of  Love  and  Wealth. 

THERE  are  two  chief  Interests,  love  and  the  pur- 
suit of  wealth,  that  are  all  the  time  working 
either  together  or  In  hostility,  as  motive 
forces,  to  begin  and  to  preserve  the  family. 
The  family  is  and  always  has  been  an  eco- 
nomic or  business  society.  The  very  word  economy  Is  derived 
from  the  household.  The  foundation  of  political  economy, 
as  well  as  of  all  organized  society,  lies  in  the  family.  The 
economic  man  has  been  much  discussed  and  he  has  been  con- 
sidered a  great  variable,  but  his  economic  variability  lies 
largely  in  the  fact  of  numbers,  which  depend  upon  the  family 
condition.  The  family  Is  more  variable  and  more  subject  to 
economic  laws  and  changes  than  the  economic  man.  It 
includes  not  only  the  varying  nature  of  the  man  himself,  and 
of  his  wife  also  changing,  but  also  a  shifting  income  for 
maintenance,  and  shifting  values  of  goods  for  consumption, 
so  that  its  economic  desirability  is  a  constant  variable. 

The  family  state  and  the  single  state  are  thus  economically 
contrasted  conditions  appealing  to  the  reason  of  the  yet 
unmarried,  and  a  paramount  question  has  been  and  will  ever 
be,  is  the  family  a  pecuniary  advantage  or  disadvantage  ? 

(2)  Pecuniary  Disadvantage  of  the  Family. 

If  the  reader  will  cast  through  his  mind  what  is  now 
deemed  necessary  to  be  bought  by  the  provider  to  supply 
an  ordinary  household,  a  very  trenchant  fact  will  be  appar- 
ent when  we  compare  the  present  condition  with  the  con- 


38  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

dition  of  the  ordinary  family,  mostly  in  rural  districts,  of  the 
colonies  and  early  republic.  Then  the  provider  In  most  cases 
had  only  to  buy  a  few  groceries,  a  very  limited  household 
furniture,  only  rarely  articles  of  dress  finery,  a  few  agricul- 
tural implements,  and  materials  for  building.  The  artesans, 
as  carpenter,  blacksmith  and  shoemaker  that  worked  for 
him,  were  largely  paid  by  his  produce.  His  wife  and  children 
from  an  early  age  were  an  economic  profit,  rather  than  a  loss. 
The  family  state  to  both  male  and  female  was  an  economic 
advantage. 

To-day,  the  family  Is,  generally  speaking,  to  both  prospec- 
tive husband  and  wife  an  economic  disadvantage.  If  we 
except,  perhaps,  the  rural  family,  bearing  in  mind  that  the 
actual  farming  population  is  now  comparatively  small,  and 
in  the  North  Atlantic  Division  Is  but  fifteen  per  cent,  of  the 
whole.  Much  greater  however  is  that  disadvantage,  at  least 
In  Its  first  stages,  to  the  man,  upon  whose  motives  and  will 
the  beginning  of  the  family  is  supposed  to  depend. 

(3)    Modern  Disadvantages  to  the  Family. 

It  would  seem  that  within  a  few  years  almost  every  influ- 
ence, whether  natural  or  artificial,  industrial  or  social,  legal 
or  merely  voluntary  and  casual,  has  tended  to  Increase  the 
relative  financial  advantage  of  the  single  over  the  married 
state.  Some  Instances  are  as  follows :  The  rise  In  the  stand- 
ard of  living;  the  purchase  of  supplies  rather  than  their  mak- 
ing at  home,  including  the  factory  system;  the  prolonged 
school  life  of  the  children;  the  greatly  increased  expense  of 
births,  marriages,  sickness  and  death;  the  increased  taxa- 
tion for  education  and  charity;  the  outlay  for  clubs  and  vol- 
untary associations;  the  weakened  authority  of  the  head  in 
financial  control. 

When  meeting  this  changed  condition,  the  provider  finds 
not  only  the  competition  of  men,  but  of  women,  the  latter 
tending   especially   to   reduce   the   standard   of  wages,    and 


THE  ECONOMIC  FAMILY  39 

causing  In  addition  the  effect,  that  their  ambition,  training 
and  skill  have  been  diverted  from  the  necessary  economy  of 
the  home  to  other  fields.  Legislation,  which  may  be  consid- 
ered In  the  main  good,  as  the  tenement  house  and  sweating 
house  laws,  and  the  laws  restricting  the  employment  of  mar- 
ried women  and  children,  has  also  tended  to  Increase  family 
expenses,  or  curtail  family  earnings,  while  such  charities  as 
defray  in  part  the  cost  of  living  of  single  women  have  tended 
to  lower  wages.  Also  bearing  upon  the  economics  of  the 
family  and  powerfully  affecting  the  motives  to  marry,  must 
not  be  left  out  outlays,  often  outrageous,  for  divorces,  sepa- 
rations and  alimony,  to  be  hereinafter  considered. 

(4)    Costs  of  Family  Elsewhere. 

Among  savages  and  most  people  in  the  history  of  the 
world,  the  family  has  been  a  pecuniary  advantage.  This 
appears  now  to  be  the  case  In  China,  Japan,  India  and  among 
the  Russian  peasantry.  The  poorer  classes  in  Europe  have  a 
standard  of  family  living  far  below  that  of  this  country,  with 
an  assistance  on  the  part  of  the  dependent  members  that 
relieves  the  head,  and  their  habits  thus  formed  appear  In  this 
country  among  the  foreigners.  In  tropical  countries  gen- 
erally there  Is  no  such  acute  question,  as  how  to  provide  for  a 
family. 

If  we  should  Include  the  most  populous  countries  of 
Europe,  I  think  It  would  be  safe  to  say,  that  nowhere  has 
been  reached  a  condition  where  among  the  middle  classes 
and  where  the  head  assumes  the  whole  burden,  the  financial 
disadvantage  of  marriage  has  been  or  Is  greater  than  now  in 
the  northern  and  eastern  states.  A  question  arises.  Is  there 
no  limit  to  this  tendency,  and  has  the  family  within  Itself 
elements  to  preserve  its  sufficient  perpetuity,  and  with  It  the 
population  and  life  of  the  nation? 


40  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(5)    Motives  to  Form  the  Family. 

Entering  the  conjugal  life  must  of  course  be  voluntary. 
There  have  been  peoples  whose  customs  have  been  so  strong, 
as  to  Induce  an  almost  universal  connubial  relation,  but  none 
have  forcibly  compelled  marriage.  Compulsory  matrimony 
would  destroy  love,  which  is  by  its  nature  free.  The  sexual 
propensity  alone  is  no  sufficient  motive  for  marriage,  neither 
among  the  more  wayward  men,  nor  the  purer  minded  and 
more  indifferent  women.  That  motive  alone  will  lead  tc 
promiscuity,  not  to  a  permanent  relationship. 

Promiscuity  assumes  two  forms ;  the  more  open  repulsive 
and  purchaseable  in  the  brothel;  and  the  more  private  indi- 
vidual and  scattered,  and  often  not  less  dangerous  and  per- 
vading than  the  former.  Repression  by  law,  except  in  com- 
munities where  there  is  an  overwhelming  public  sentiment, 
has  but  little  effect  except  a  temporary  decrease  of  the  former 
with  a  corresponding  increase  of  the  latter  form. 

When  economic  motives  are  adverse  to  wife  and  children, 
then  there  must  be  love,  social  motives  and  cultures,  suf- 
ficiently strong  to  balance  and  outweigh  the  adverse  motives. 
Whether  persons  should  agree  or  not  that  population  in  any 
given  country,  or  at  any  time,  or  as  to  any  particular  class, 
should  be  greater  or  less,  I  think  it  will  be  clear,  that  the  fam- 
ily cannot  persist  relying  upon  economic  interest  and  physical 
sex  alone,  but  must  have  other  forces  and  supports,  including 
a  social  consciousness  that  it  must  be  nurtured  and  preserved 
as  an  institution  by  no  means  less  than  law,  science,  or  educa- 
tion, the  church  or  the  state. 

It  is  a  lack  of  this  social  consciousness  of  family  culture  as 
an  end,  that  seems  to  prevail  in  America.  Other  social  ten- 
dencies and  motives  seem  to  ride  rough  shod  over  it.  Many 
seem  to  think  that  the  power  of  physical  sex  alone  is  sufficient 
to  preserve  the  family;  when  before  their  eyes  they  witness 
that  power  turned  to  dissipation. 


THE  ECONOMIC  FAMILY  41 

(6)    Cultures  Necessary. 

The  fact  then  seems  to  be  that  In  any  particular  nation  or 
society,  the  family  institution  may  rise  or  fall,  may  come  and 
go;  only  when  it  disappears  life  goes  with  it  without  a 
further  record.  There  is  no  limit  to  its  extinction  except  the 
rushing  tide  of  other  peoples  to  fill  the  empty  chasm  its  disap- 
pearance has  left  behind.  Nor  is  this  a  mere  possibility,  it  Is 
an  actuality  that  has  often  occurred  In  history,  and  Is  taking 
place  to-day.  As  individuals  may  die  before  their  time  for 
lack  of  necessary  thrift,  care,  support  or  nurture,  so  may  the 
family  perish  quickly,  and  along  with  it,  the  Ideas,  culture, 
arts  or  Institutions  that  rest  upon  its  life.  It  is  true,  a  migra- 
tory civilization  may  in  part  pass  from  nation  to  nation  and 
from  age  to  age,  but  the  new  one  only  receives  what  pleases 
its  fickle  taste;  and  a  new  form  of  life  may  put  the  light 
of  culture  out  entirely,  and  revel  in  barbaric  savagery.  There 
is  no  logic,  in  solicitude  for  church,  or  state,  or  schools,  or 
arts,  or  science,  that  Ignores  the  family,  supposing  it  must 
stand,  though  every  brace  and  pillar  be  withdrawn.  The 
family  institution  Is  a  structure,  either  built  by  the  deft  and 
unseen  hand  of  nature,  or  directly  by  man's  design.  In  either 
case  the  foundations  of  that  structure  may  be  crumbled  by 
human  will,  or  human  will  unexercised  In  neglect. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Romantic  Love  of  Men. 
(i)    Man's  Gift,  His  Love  to  Woman. 

IF   individual    consciousness   is   a    phase,   the    greatest 
phase  of  the  cosmos;    if  the  most  universal  general- 
ization of  the   instincts  and  emotions  is,   that  like 
other  natural  forces  they  serve  an  end  toward  devel- 
opment and  progress,  the  social  end  of  the  romantic 
love  of  men,  looked  at  outwardly  and  objectively,  becomes 
apparent.       It   is  to   apply   the   surplus   fruit  of  masculine 
energy  to  the  weaker  female  and  ultimately  to  offspring. 

Like  the  mother's  love  so  deeply  implanted  and  so  neces- 
sary to  foster,  the  romantic  love  of  men  becomes  also  a  sep- 
arate factor,  a  social  force  to  be  abstracted,  measured  and 
considered.  Its  potency  should  not  be  lost  sight  of  in  degrad- 
ing views  of  physical  appetite,  nor  its  positive  activity  les- 
sened by  comparison  with  woman's  more  negative  and  less 
powerful  reciprocating  affection. 

Nature's  great  gift  of  emotions  to  the  man  is  love  of 
woman,  to  the  woman  is  love  of  children.  For  a  proper 
scientific  treatment  of  the  subject  this  fact  seems  to  me  to  be 
a  first  principle.  The  gift  in  both  cases  is  a  mainspring  of 
individual  and  social  progress. 

(2)    Unlikeness  the  Cause. 

The  unconscious  direction  of  an  active  moving  cell  towards 
another,  unlike  and  passive,  first  seen  among  protozoa,  seems 
now  to  assume  the  conscious  form  of  love.  Some  difference 
in  form,  some  defect  of  content,  some  magnetic  attraction 
of  unlike  kinds,  where  each  may  be  complementary  and  neces- 


ROMANTIC  LOVE  OF  MEN  43 

sary  for  a  newly  created  and  more  perfect  unity  with  renewed 
life  and  vigor,  seems  to  be  the  hidden  cause.  At  any  rate, 
unllkeness  is  the  paramount  cause  of  romantic  love.  Frater- 
nity, companionship,  human  sympathy  and  association,  the 
essentials  of  friendship,  are  valuable  adjuncts  and  bonds  to 
any  love,  but  the  distinctive  feature  of  sexual  love  is  an 
instinctive  fervent  trend  towards  some  person  or  quality 
unlike  and  superior.  It  thus  becomes  the  worship  of  a  differ- 
ent and  superior  quality.  It  is  not  a  chord  that  draws  those 
mutually  equal,  but  those  mutually  superior.  It  Is  not  the 
association  of  similarltyj  but  rather  that  of  difference  without 
reaching  the  stage  of  conflict.  There  Is  the  element  too  of 
likeness  playing  with  unllkeness  alternately,  as  in  the  stream 
of  consciousness.  But  nature  demands  that  Its  unllkeness  In 
sex  shall  be  carried  to  the  outmost  limits  of  the  species,  and 
then  by  union  dissolved  by  a  sentiment  the  deepest,  the  most 
piercing  and  penetrating,  the  most  ecstatic  and  inciting,  if  not 
the  most  abiding,  of  any  known  to  the  human  heart. 

(3)    Variation  in  Romantic  Love. 

It  has  been  said  that  every  emotion  felt  in  the  human 
breast  is  different  from  every  other.  From  the  fountain  of 
feeling  arises  in  the  soul  that  variation,  elsewhere  typified  and 
seen  in  all  life.  But  variation  increases  in  extent  with  pro- 
gression into  higher  life.  The  male  is  elsewhere  character- 
ized by  variability.  Man  stands  foremost  In  the  line,  and 
variation  in  him,  like  that  In  the  corolla  of  flowers  which  may 
typify  the  love  of  plants,  seems  to  reach  a  highest  point  in 
romantic  love. 

This  love  may  burst  forth  In  violence  in  earliest  youth;  It 
may  be  smothered  by  business  or  care;  It  may  lie  fallow  for 
a  decade,  and  at  any  time  spring  forth  anew  perhaps  Into 
wild  excesses.  It  may  be  the  absorbing  theme  of  the  cold 
intellect  of  a  Napoleon,  in  the  midst  of  his  first  and  most 
exciting  Italian  Campaign;    it  may  be  a  burning  taper  shin- 


44  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Ing  for  years  towards  a  distant  object,  to  the  heart  of  a 
Balzac.  It  raises  the  martial  ardor  of  the  strong;  it  inspires 
the  artist  to  deeper  insights,  and  creative  imagination;  it 
leads  the  prudent  to  overstep  all  bounds,  to  plunge,  when 
reason  inhibits.  It  starts  the  young  man  on  a  noble  career 
of  delightful  work  for  others,  but  it  also  may  make  the  strong 
man  weak,  the  old  man  foolish  and  silly. 

Its  endurance  varies  from  an  even,  ever  deepening  affec- 
tion perpetually  for  life,  to  an  almost  momentary  fantasy. 
Nor  is  it  by  any  means  confined  to  emotional  natures,  but 
may  be  strongest  or  most  abiding  in  a  Bismarck,  or  dashing 
and  flickering  in  a  Goethe.  This  strange  variable  factor 
lies  ever  near  the  brink  of  dissipation.  This  love  then  being 
so  variable  in  the  economy  of  nature,  may  rise  or  fall  greatly 
in  volume  according  to  circumstances.  It  is  a  great  mistake 
to  assume,  as  apparently  did  many  ardent  agitators  for 
woman's  industrial  employment,  that  the  love  leading  men  to 
marriage  is  a  constant  factor.  It  is  more  like  those  novelties 
in  the  market  that  rise  and  fall  in  volume  with  demand  and 
fashion.  The  truth  is  that  when  you  expel  and  smother  the 
encouragements  and  cultures  that  surround  and  cluster  about 
romantic  love,  you  leave  but  lust;  the  outflow  of  sexual 
activity  in  men  without  culture  or  control  tends  inevitably  to 
promiscuity. 

(4)    Nature  of  Emotion. 

This  inner  light  of  life  called  emotion  is  a  state  or  condi- 
tion, named  by  words  suggested  from  something  without,  but 
really  having  no  likeness  to  anything  but  itself  or  kindred 
feelings  within.  Its  will,  as  in  love,  is  to  act  or  move  as  it 
floats  along,  with  a  springing  self-whim  or  feeling,  a  wholly 
different  thing  from  the  true  will  that  executes  a  judgment. 
It  brooks  little  intellectual  meddling  or  control,  and  when 
violent  and  strong  overrides  reason  and  discretion.  In  most 
cases  of  romantic  love  man  is  led  by  its  illusive  wand,  while 


ROMANTIC  LOVE  OF  MEN  45 

woman  is  the  rational  creature,  and  he,  this  intellectual  being, 
this  paragon  of  reason,  may  become  the  sport  of  indifferent 
calculation,  of  woman's  keener  wits:  Nevertheless  is  this 
self-activity  in  him  the  primary  motor,  the  first  and  natural 
cause  that  leads  to  connubial  relations  and  the  family.  If  he 
is  to  be  blamed  for  all  the  evils  because  the  beginner,  then  he 
must  be  credited  with  all  the  blessings,  that  arise  by  the  rela- 
tions of  sex. 

The  main  fact  however  stands  forth  that  this  emotional 
gift  of  men  is  a  primary  germ  of  force,  to  be  directed,  to  be 
increased  or  diminished,  to  be  turned  to  honor  or  dishonor, 
in  the  hands  of  design.  It  is  the  penalty  of  all  emotion  to  be 
subject  to  capture  and  control;  it  is  its  prize  to  lead  us  to  the 
loftiest  heights  of  rapturous  vision,  of  insight  into  the  very 
heart  of  creation. 

(5)    Chastity. 

If  some  Amazon  should  acquire  absolute  power,  and  as 
dictatress,  only  design  to  control  men,  a  very  effective  law 
with  the  severest  penalties  would  be  to  enforce  their  chastity, 
and  with  the  very  specious  argument,  to  enhance  romantic 
love,  for  is  not  love  a  mingling  with  desire,  and  are  not 
desires,  like  the  flowing  waters  of  a  stream,  deepened  and  accu- 
mulated by  restraint. 

But  here  again  we  must  obsen'e,  that  morality  beginning 
with  "I  must"  ever  progresses  towards  the  freedom  of  "I 
will";  the  judgment  seat  without  moves  towards  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  conscience  within,  and  though  God  sit  as  Judge 
thereon,  nevertheless  the  only  immediate  punishment  is  self- 
disapprobation  and  remorse.  A  free  but  rigid  morality,  one 
enforced  by  the  persuasion  of  religion  and  conscience,  rather 
than  the  coercion  of  law  would  be  most  effectual,  and  if 
society  could  reach  and  retain  that  point  it  would  be  mar- 
vellously changed. 


46  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(6)  Beauty. 

Is  romantic  love  akin  to  the  passion  for  beauty  in  art,  and 
does  it,  like  a  sense  of  beauty,  lead  us  on  into  the  ethical  tem- 
ple to  worship  the  good?  At  any  rate  the  very  breath  of 
beauty  quickens  the  soul  of  love.  Darwin  says  that  the  beauty 
of  the  plumage  and  song  of  male  birds  attracted  the  female. 
Among  savages  men  seem  to  take  more  pains  in  personal 
adornment  than  women.  This  effect  of  beauty  to  inspire 
seems  very  changeable,  and  in  the  earlier  cases  here  men- 
tioned, beauty  may  have  had  other  purposes,  but  now  its 
leading  purpose,  from  both  an  individual  and  social  point  of 
view,  seems  clearly  to  call  forth  love. 

It  is  not  merely  the  beautiful  body  formation,  the  grace  of 
motion,  and  the  natural  gifts  of  refined  taste  and  sentiment 
of  women,  but  their  conscious  and  careful  attention  to  dress 
and  manners,  that  inspire  the  ardor  of  men,  who  like  artists 
are  filled  with  torrents  of  feeling,  with  hidden  impulses  that 
stir  imagination  and  passion,  that  create  an  ideal  so  deftly 
and  dimly  formed  in  the  subconscious  that  its  origin,  its  main 
features,  elements  or  causes  are  unknown.  Only  that  out- 
ward and  mysterious  thing  of  beauty,  is  with  rapture  beheld, 
known  and  adored. 

(7)  Possession. 

Is  there  anything  that  we  love  much  and  long  that  we 
cannot  possess?  There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  captured 
wives  of  old  became  more  or  less  beloved.  Free  love  may 
have  its  short  lived  ecstasy,  but  romantic  love  had  ever  in 
view  the  prospect  of  future  possession,  a  possession  not  to  be 
terminated  by  whims,  or  at  the  mercy  of  the  other's  free  love. 
Once  fill  the  consciousness  of  youth  with  the  idea  that  he  gets 
no  right  or  possession  by  marriage,  and  you  nip  at  its  origin 
his  self-sacrificing  love.  He  will  do  everything  for  another, 
but  he  must  have  that  other.   Free  love  on  one  side  will  ulti- 


ROMANTIC  LOVE  OF  MEN  47 

mately  destroy  marital  love.*  Fear  may  be  left,  as  is  prob- 
ably the  case  with  many  women  of  other  lands  or  times. 
Something  of  reciprocal  affection  will  nearly  always  exist 
towards  another  who  loves  you,  but  active  incipient  creative 
love  that  gives  rather  than  receives,  that  takes  responsibil- 
ity, sacrifices  and  suffers  for  another,  must  in  some  way  pos- 
sess that  other,  even  in  some  such  way  as  a  parent,  the 
child. 

Thus  the  romantic  love  of  man  with  its  cultures  and 
growths,  natural  or  designed  by  others,  or  developed  in  the 
social  body,  becomes  a  factor  more  powerful  than  adverse 
economic  interest  to  lead  to  the  venture  of  a  family. 


*See  Chap.   XIII,   Sec.  4,  post. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Pagan  Cultures  of  the  Family. 

( 1 )  Ancestor  Worship. 

THE  mystery  of  life  is  the  great  enigma  to  the 
savage,  as  to  the  most  enlightened  mind. 
From  the  earliest  dawn  there  springs  up  a 
longing  for,  a  belief  in  a  life  beyond.  A 
beloved  and  respected  parent  who  has  died  is 
regarded  as  living  and  protecting  still.  Now  the  border  line 
between  a  natural  reverence  and  a  supernatural  worship  is 
not  closely  drawn,  and  we  have  developed  ancestor  worship. 
This  does  not  show  by  any  means  that  all  natural  religion 
arises  from  the  worship  of  ancestors.  There  are  besides  the 
great  mysteries,  the  apparent  purpose  and  creation  in  nature, 
the  search  after  the  first  cause,  the  incessant  trend  towards 
the  supreme  ideal,  the  unity  of  the  microcosm,  man's  mind, 
with  the  macrocosm  without,  the  inner  touches  of  conscious- 
ness that  seem  in  communication  with  a  creative  spirit,  as 
well  as  a  great  inspired  genius  among  men  and  other  sources 
that  explain  the  rise  of  the  religious  sentiment  and  belief. 

Now,  generally  speaking,  every  common  instinct  or  emo- 
tion implanted  in  the  human  soul  serves  a  utility.  Religion 
becomes  a  great  leading  force,  a  social  development,  and 
ancestor  worship  though  primitive  and  largely  superseded  by 
higher  and  other  religious  beliefs,  has  been  of  advantage, 
especially  in  the  culture  of  the  institution  of  the  family. 

(2)  The  Household  Gods. 

Among  the  Romans  we  have  the  household  gods;  the 
Lares,  or  guardian  ancestors ;  the  Penates  or  providing  spir- 


PAGAN  CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY        49 

its;  and  the  Manes,  or  the  souls  of  the  departed.  These 
were  deemed  to  exist  in  every  household  and  received  daily 
devotions.  They  were  presided  over  by  Vesta,  the  domestic 
divinity.  For  them  in  each  home  was  an  altar  and  the  sacred 
fire  of  the  hearth.  The  father  was  the  priest,  and  he  must 
have  a  male  heir  to  keep  up  the  ritual.  "Barrenness  would 
not  only  extinguish  the  family,  but  the  religious  rites."  Sim- 
ilarly among  the  Greeks  there  were  the  household  deities 
with  Hestia  supreme.  We  find,  to-day,  ancestor  worship 
with  its  related  system  of  family  cult,  thoroughly  incor- 
porated in  the  religion  of  the  Chinese  and  Japanese.  Among 
a  very  large  number  of  tribes  and  people  has  ancestor  wor- 
ship prevailed. 

If  we  can  transform  our  sentiments  and  catch  the  heart 
of  these  people,  a  powerful  stimulus  towards  forming  the 
family  and  raising  the  child,  will  be  apparent.  There  must 
be  a  son  to  preserve  the  worship  and  to  bring  food  and  gifts 
after  death.  A  sacred  atmosphere  about  the  hearth  will  be 
kindled,  and  almost  ineradicable  customs,  and  moral  habits 
engendered  to  preserve  the  home. 

(3)    Chastity  of  Women. 

With  almost  every  known  people  that  has  for  any  length 
of  time  survived,  the  chastity  of  married  women  has  been 
inculcated,  and  more  or  less  perfectly  observed.  If  from 
no  other  cause  this  would  arise  from  the  power  and  jealousy 
of  the  husband.  So  long  as  he  would  protect  and  provide, 
he  would  insist  upon  the  right  to  paternity  or  to  possession,  or 
with  unlimited  power  he  would  assert  his  right,  as  of  prop- 
erty. Left  alone  without  paternal  aid  the  children  would  in 
time  die,  and  the  tribe  become  extinguished.  Only  in  the 
matriarchate  could  they  for  a  long  time  survive  by  the  assist- 
ance of  the  mother's  male  kin. 


50  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(4)  Paternal  Power. 

Whatever  tyranny  or  degradation  of  woman  might  arise 
from  the  exercise  of  great  paternal  power,  yet  the  field  for 
entangling  disagreements  would  be  lessened,  and  separation 
in  most  cases  be  rare.  It  is  said,  though  perhaps  with  exag- 
geration, that  for  the  first  five  hundred  years  of  the  Roman 
Republic  there  was  not  a  divorce.  Afterwards  when  the 
paternal  power  was  greatly  lessened  and  religion  decayed, 
and  easy  divorces  allowed  on  both  sides,  married  life  fell 
into  awful  degeneracy.  Divorce  to-day  is  not  a  burning 
question,  nor  reckoned  as  a  social  evil  in  India,  China  or 
Japan,  and  yet  it  is  freely  allowed.  Population  there  is 
largely  sustained  by  reason  of  paternal  power. 

(5)  Warriors. 

The  raising  of  future  warriors  was  a  powerful  motive  for 
rearing  male  children  especially  to  the  savage  mind.  Infanti- 
cide prevailed  among  many  tribes,  but  was  limited  to  females. 
The  sentiment  engendered  in  this  respect  arose  more  from  the 
constant  social  influence  of  the  tribe,  than  from  the 
father's  natural  want.  Such  a  spirit  may  possess  a  modern 
nation  especially  in  time  of  war,  and  its  effect  be  seen  every- 
where in  an  increased  birth  rate,  and  perhaps  in  the  prepon- 
derance of  males, 

(6)  Wife  and  Children,  Property. 

The  wife  and  children  among  pagan  people  have  to  a  large 
extent  been  considered  as  property,  and  their  services  been  of 
an  economic  value  greater  than  the  cost  of  maintenance. 
Children  have  been  therefore  of  actual  industrial  value.  The 
standard  of  living,  by  the  superior  power  of  the  husband,  if 
not  by  necessity,  has  been  kept  very  low,  even  though  he 
might  enjoy  luxuries  without.  Under  such  influences  as  these, 
custom  has  often  fixed  with  an  iron  grasp  harsh  and  severe 
conditions  in  the  sphere  of  women.  Yet,  it  is  evident  that 
under   such   conditions,   the    family   would   be   of   economic 


PAGAN  CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY        51 

advantage,  married  life  be  eagerly  sought  and  largely  univer- 
sal, and  a  people  be  preserved  in  its  own  stock  for  centuries. 
(7)    Their  Altruism. 

But  it  must  not  be  thought  that  love  has  not  and  does  not 
exist  in  the  family  among  Pagan  peoples.  Other  distant  peo- 
ple and  primitive  tribes  have  often  been  apparently  too  much 
studied  by  ethnologists  from  the  mere  standpoint  of  doubt- 
ful facts  furnished  by  superficial  travelers  or  historians, 
whose  reports  would  be  subject  to  the  double  errors  of  their 
own  bias,  and  the  special  and  defective  statements  and 
appearances  received. 

There  must  have  been,  there  and  elsewhere  as  now,  the 
same  human  nature,  the  same  love  flowing  from  the  same 
ulterior  source,  the  same  struggle  for  existence,  however 
much  ruder  and  in  many  respects  different  the  conditions.  A 
truer  view  of  such  other  life  may  be  obtained  by  harmonizing 
human  experience  as  we  know  it  with  the  carefully  considered 
testimony  concerning  such  other  people,  remembering  that 
it  is  indispensable  to  catch  their  feelings,  follow  their  senti- 
ments, and  think  their  very  different  or  simple  thoughts. 

The  family  being  the  natural  fountain  of  love,  the  altruism 
of  the  Pagans  also,  as  seen  in  their  literature  and  history, 
their  communistic  and  national  life,  must  thence  largely  have 
sprung.  Such  cultivated  people  as  the  more  refined  Romans 
and  Greeks  had  a  very  high  respect  for  the  matrons,  the 
mothers  of  their  children.  There  was  no  doubt  a  very  strong 
feminine  influence  that  largely  controlled  their  social  ideas. 
It  would  not  be  rash  to  say  that  in  many  instances  those  men, 
as  in  modern  times,  intellectually  occupied  with  external 
affairs,  unreservedly  received  from  women  sentiments  and 
ideas  of  far  reaching  extent  and  importance  to  the  social 
body. 

REFERENCES. 

Alex  S.  Murray Manual    of    Mythology. 

Thos.   Bulfinch Age   of   Fable. 

Talfourd  Ely Olympia. 

Chas.  Kingsley Age    of    Fable. 

Herbert  Spencer Vol.    i,   of   Sociology. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Christian  Cultures  of  the  Family. 

( 1 )  Religion  as  a  Force. 

CIVILIZATION  is  also  a  system  of  conscious 
cultures,  and  not  merely  an  evolution  of  neces- 
sary forces,  even  if  such  forces  include  the 
natural  instincts  and  powers  of  mind.  It  is 
intentionally  building  a  structure  and  framing 
the  meThods  and  plans  of  construction.  Religion  is  a  pri- 
mary force  in  the  formation  of  social  development.  Its  chief 
social  end  may  be  but  faintly  conscious  to  most  of  the  units 
of  society;  rather  is  religion  received  by  them  upon  an 
authoritative  sanction;  but  the  end  is  clearly  perceived  by 
leading  minds.  Its  beliefs  are  no  idle  dreams,  but  they  pre- 
serve social  life,  and  may  be  likened  to  those  natural  instincts 
that  are  ordained  for  the  preservation  of  individual  life. 
The  farther  you  are  removed  from  the  iron  laws  of  necessity 
imposed  by  material  nature  and  the  coercive  laws  of  man, 
and  approach  the  leading  and  inspiring  light  of  love  and 
freedom,  is  the  higher  law  of  an  individual  conscience  and  a 
sovereign  God  above  required. 

(2)  Christianity. 

Christianity  springs  forth  as  a  universal  world  religion. 
It  must  supplant  the  narrowing  bounds  of  a  national  religion, 
or  the  stagnation  of  ancestor  worship,  by  something  more  ele- 
vating, powerful,  and  stimulating  to  social  growth.  It  takes 
its  terms  of  father,  brother,  son  and  elder  from  the  family, 
and  Christ  and  His  Church  become  types  for  husband  and 
wife.     Its  corner  stone  is  love,  and  thus  with  the  family  it 


CHRISTIAN  CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY     53 

becomes  the  great  Instrument  of  altruistic  culture.  But  more 
than  for  the  nation  or  tribe,  or  other  social  aggregate,  Chris- 
tianity for  the  family,  presents  a  special  culture  for  Its  very 
structure  and  for  the  sacred  sentiments  that  maintain  It.  The 
love  which  might  seem  Ideal  In  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
as  thyself,"  now  becomes  actually  realized  In  "Husbands,  love 
your  wives  as  your  own  bodies."  The  brotherhood  of  man  In 
turn  reacts  upon  the  actual  brothers  and  sisters  In  the  home. 
The  altar  of  the  pagans  becomes  the  lowly  fireside  hallowed 
by  the  worship  of  a  heavenly  Father,  and  the  kindling  spirit 
of  love  fosters  every  link  of  the  family  structure,  as  It  builds 
the  church,  society,  the  nation  and  the  collective  Christian 
world. 

(3)    Conjugal  Love. 

Natural  love,  springing  from  the  very  formation  of  the 
family,  depended  chiefly  upon  the  permanence  of  the  home. 
Mere  casual  or  romantic  affection  however  ecstatic  at  times 
would  be  but  an  ebullition  and  creature  of  an  hour.  Women, 
now  to  be  freer,  must  have  some  further  force  to  hold  them 
than  an  arbitrary  and  possessing  power,  or  the  necessity  of 
subsistence.  Men  losing  In  a  measure  the  property  notion 
must  be  bound  by  a  substitute  chord.  Hence,  conjugal  love, 
the  daughter  of  romantic  love  and  an  Indissoluble  marriage. 

Conjugal  love  thus  becomes  like  that  of  parent  and  child, 
of  brother  and  sister,  a  permanent  real  thing.  A  sense  of 
duty  and  obligation  ever  springing  from  the  Christian  reason 
and  conscience  makes  the  marriage  bond  firm  forever.  A 
horror  of  separation  Is  engendered  which  for  all  time  to  come 
is  to  be  the  panacea,  not  the  civil  law,  against  divorce.  Con- 
jugal love,  ever  flowing  In  a  constant  stream,  If  not  always 
gushing  in  dashing  torrents,  will  reach  depths  of  human  sen- 
timent and  life  that  romantic  love  with  all  its  cultures  of  art 
and  literature  can  never  attain. 


54  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(4)  The  Star  of  Childhood. 

But  a  bright  gleaming  star  of  the  east  must  needs  cast 
its  glimmering  dawn  and  rise,  at  first  prospectively  in  hope 
and  promise  to  forecasting  parenthood, — the  star  of  child- 
hood. At  first  it  appears  dim  in  consciousness,  but  like  all 
instinctive  germs  of  feeling,  ever  growing  as  a  kindling  flame 
to  love  and  action,  until  at  the  grand  moment  of  birth  this 
star  gives  to  all  the  world  a  new  aspect,  light  and  inspira- 
tion. A  real  new  being  now  comes,  a  little  child,  set  forth  by 
the  great  Teacher  as  an  ideal  for  all. 

Is  not  this  almost  worship  of  a  helpless  child  imbedded  as 
one  of  the  pillars  of  the  Christian  system?  Love,  marriage, 
home  without  the  child  are  utterly  lacking.  Here  is  a  tender 
child,  yet  in  fact  an  adamantine  chain  for  the  bonds  of  unity. 
Here  is  a  potential  substitute  for  the  Lares  of  old.  Here  is  a 
natural  spark  of  flaming  hope  that  consumes  away  degen- 
eracy, despair  and  death.  Childless  love  and  childless  mar- 
riage are  most  like  the  fig  tree  that  was  cursed  and  withered 
away.  Ideals  of  family  life  without  this  illuminating  star 
soon  fall  away  into  utter  destruction  and  decay.  Without 
it,  love  in  the  husband  wanders  and  weakens  with  advancing 
age,  and  love  in  the  wife  never  reaches  its  new  birth  and  bap- 
tism, and  the  wonderful  native  promises  to  her  soul  remain 
undeveloped,  unfulfilled  forever;  and  both  have  lost  the 
dearest  hope,  the  fondest  dream  that  may  be  realized,  of 
earthly  immortality  in  their  child. 

( 5 )  Chastity. 

The  chastity  of  women  among  heathen  nations,  however 
it  may  subsequently  have  become  incorporated  with  religious 
ideas,  sprang  from  and  was  largely  maintained  by  the  hus- 
band's right  of  property.  The  argument  for  chastity  from 
an  individual  point  of  view  may  become  very  weak;  but  from 
a  social  point  of  view  to  preserve  a  race  and  human  life,  the 
chastity  especially  of  women  is  indispensable;    hence,  when 


CHRISTIAN  CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY     55 

the  force  of  the  property  right  is  weakened,  there  must  be  a 
far  more  powerful  religious  force  to  preserve  the  morals  of 
society;  and  this  religious  obligation  by  its  very  strength  and 
extension  will  include  not  only  women  but  also  men,  not  only 
the  married  but  the  single,  and  among  the  married,  not  only 
an  abstinence  from  adultery,  but  also  a  conformity  to  nature 
and  abiding  by  her  laws  and  results  in  sexual  relations. 

So  ardent  was  the  advocacy  of  chastity  by  the  early  Chris- 
tians, that  it  has  been  thought  by  some  to  have  overstepped 
the  bounds  of  nature  and  run  into  asceticism.  If  it  implied 
that  the  sexual  relation  in  itself  is  an  evil,  this  seems  true : 
but  in  the  light  of  the  then  environing  Roman,  and  of  mod- 
ern society,  the  principle  of  chastity  can  hardly  be  exagger- 
ated. 

(6)    Patria  Potestas. 

The  patria  potestas  or  father's  power  was  and  still  is  a  part 
of  the  Christian  family,  and  the  obligation  of  the  providing 
head  to  "keep,"  endow  and  support,  implied  in  "He  who 
does  not  provide  for  his  own  is  worse  than  an  infidel";  had 
for  its  correlative  and  necessary  counterpart,  "Wives,  obey 
your  husbands".  No  statement  of  an  emotional  love  could 
override  the  immutable  law  of  industry  and  psychology,  that 
the  responsible  head  must  control,  nor  the  law  of  unity,  that 
in  any  society  there  must  be  a  head;  but  an  arbitrary  tyranny 
is  to  be  eliminated,  authority  is  to  be  restricted  to  responsi- 
bility, and  an  ideal  equality  of  equal  benefits  for  common 
earnings  and  equal  honor  and  happiness  be  established;  in 
fact,  the  only  kind  of  permanent  communism  in  human  asso- 
ciation possible. 

The  method  to  reach  the  ideal  equality  of  the  sexes,  lies  in 
the  ethics  of  the  family,  which  is  the  ethics  of  the  Christian 
church  and  in  fact  the  central  factor  of  progressive  civiliza- 
tion :  it  is  persuasive  love  rather  than  compulsory  force.  The 
state  can  use  coercion  to  enforce  justice,  but  the  weaker  can 


56  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

never  expect  to  reach  the  vantage  ground  of  the  stronger  by 
force.  The  law  of  force  is  inevitable.  Strength  and  individ- 
ual capacity  must  prevail,  and  if  it  can  no  longer  prevail  it 
will  become  weakness.  The  very  idea  of  justice  \s  crushed 
when  the  less  deserving  acquires  by  force  what  belongs  to 
the  more  deserving.  But  love  by  free  will  may  transfer  all 
that  it  has  to  another,  and  with  justice  unviolated,  receive  its 
reward.    "It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive". 

The  reward  of  the  giver  is  greater  heart,  soul,  character 
and  spiritual  power,  more  refined  sensibility  and  ethical  intui- 
tion; and  if  womanly  nature  is  more  gifted  in  these  respects, 
largely  because  of  the  mother  love  so  deeply  implanted,  even 
in  this  will  she  be  equal  or  superior  to  man,  how  far  soever 
he  may  progress  by  the  culture  that  comes  from  giving :  for 
she  seems  by  nature  to  be  lovely,  and  if  there  lack  primitive 
beauty  of  form  or  character,  her  natural  instincts,  with  the 
gift  of  maternity  will  supply ;  while  his  ruder  heart  in  order  to 
reach  the  lofty  heights  of  loveliness  must  pour  forth  deeds 
and  gifts  of  love  with  deep  devotion. 

SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES. 

As  to  Husband  and  Wife — i  Corinthians  VII,  and  XI.  Ephesians  V.,  Colossians 
III.,  Titus  II.,  I  Peter  III.,  Matthew  XIX. 

As  to  the  child— Matthew   XIX,  13-14,   Luke   VIII,    17. 
As  to  providing — i  Timothy  V,  8. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Puritan  Family. 

( 1 )  Harmony  of  the  Individual  and  Social  End. 

THE  greatest  spur  to  human  energy  arises  from 
individual  hope,  faith  and  ambition.  The 
social  point  of  view  alone  is  altogether  too 
weak  for  the  common  mind.  It  only  here  and 
there  absorbs  the  attention  and  purpose,  as  of 
the  great  thinker,  the  philosopher  or  great  leader  of  a  relig- 
ious system.  Social  principles,  it  is  true,  must  be  dominant 
in  a  progressive  society,  but  they  must  be  so  constructed  and 
framed  as  to  harmonize  and  accord  with  what  seems  to  the 
individual  his  end  or  advantage.  His  thinking  must  be 
rational  and  for  him.  Herein  lies  the  great  power  and  effi- 
cacy of  religion,  that  makes  the  social  end  agree  with  the 
individual  end  by  future  rewards  and  punishments,  by  mak- 
ing ethical  character  a  chief  goal,  and  by  worship  of  an  ideal 
supreme  being. 

(2)  The  Puritans. 

The  early  Puritans  of  New  England  were  both  a  strongly 
individualistic  and  religious  people.  From  the  fiery  energy 
arising  from  the  self,  like  the  early  Romans  and  Greeks,  the 
French  Republicans  of  the  Revolution,  or  the  modern  Japa- 
nese in  the  excitement  of  a  great  social  change,  they  possessed 
a  power  sufficient  amidst  rocks  and  forests  and  a  bleak  climate 
to  drive  back  the  savages,  to  subdue  the  adversities  of  a  bar- 
ren soil  held  by  the  fastnesses  of  untamed  nature,  and  to  start 
well  the  transformation  of  a  continent.  By  their  religious 
ardor  they  were  held  firm  by  bonds  of  strictest  morality  and 


58  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

strongest  purpose  that  pointed  towards  the  future  goal,  the 
making  of  the  greatest  people  and  the  greatest  nation. 

What  though  their  religious  spirit  was  largely  taken  from 
the  Old  Testament !  Has  not  that  exacting  cult  preserved  a 
distinct  people,  the  Jews,  for  four  thousand  years,  and  for  so 
long  a  time  almost  the  only  people,  even  in  urban  life,  and 
at  occupations  that  have  been  fatal  to  the  perpetuation  of 
many  others?  What  though  in  their  antagonism  to  the  Old 
Church  they  stood  aghast  at  the  material  cross,  at  the  cele- 
bration of  Christmas  and  Easter,  and  eschewed  anything 
savoring  of  a  sacrament  of  marriage.  Better  thinking  would 
seem  to  set  aside  this  excessive  iconoclasm ;  yet  it  was  evi- 
dence of  the  fury  of  their  private  convictions.  It  is  not 
strange  that  they  persecuted,  though  in  mild  degree,  in  an  age 
of  almost  universal  persecution,  nor  that  In  their  bewilder- 
ment before  the  occult  phenomena  of  witchcraft,  they  could 
not  ingeniously  call  it  hypnotism  (something  quite  as  recon- 
dite as  the  former,  and  often  to  the  modern  person  stifling 
under  a  big  name  his  curiosity,  and  raising  his  presumption 
of  superior  Intelligence),  but  blankly  in  their  more  vivid 
sense  of  personality  ascribed  It  to  the  devil,  something  to  be 
driven  out  and  to  get  rid  of. 

(3)  Puritan  Energy. 

They  cleared  the  forests,  gleaned  the  uneven  fields  from 
the  glacial  stone  drift,  built  in  quick  time  their  homely  cabins, 
and  moving  from  tract  to  tract  like  a  collective  array  of 
nature's  life,  even  as  the  animals  and  plants,  they  spread  with 
their  increasing  sons  and  daughters.  They  would  have 
laughed  to  scorn  at  the  modern  task  of  doing  so  simple  a 
thing  as  to  raise  a  child.  Their  women  in  addition  to  the 
work  of  their  large  families,  and  of  ordinary  housekeeping 
without  modern  improvements,  performed  nearly  all  the 
labor  that  is  now  done  in  factories  and  shops  in  fitting  raw 
material  for  use  as  clothing  and  food.     If  luxuries  were  not 


THE  PURITAN  FAMILY  59 

so  common  then  as  now,  still  they  stood  content  without  mur- 
mur; hopes  centering  in  rising  children  and  a  firm  belief  paid 
for  all. 

With  all  this  the  Puritan  had  education.  In  1640  the 
eighty  Puritan  ministers  of  New  England  were  university 
men ;  a  fair  number  of  the  laymen  were  college  graduates, 
and  the  large  majority  could  at  least  read  and  write.  They 
were  picked  men  intellectually.*  Not  only  were  they  san- 
guine in  founding  schools,  but  they  practiced,  and  perhaps 
saw  by  instinctive  foresight,  the  great  truth  as  to  education 
that  is  just  now  dawning  upon  the  modern  mind,  to  wit : 
That  education  must  include  half,  the  school  of  books,  and 
half,  the  drill  of  hands:  that  these  many  generations  of  hand- 
workers at  diversified  employments  have  also  been  building  up 
the  civilized  mind;  that  you  can  hardly  reach  the  ideal  of 
human  culture,  without  the  role  of  practice  working  towards 
a  definite  immediate  end  along  with  the  blooming  expansion  of 
theories  and  ideas. 

(4)    Number  of  the  Puritans. 

The  Puritans  were  the  dominant  element  in  the  settlement 
of  the  northern  colonies.  There  were  700,000  New  Engend- 
ers at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution.  The  Puritan  element 
constituted  about  one-third  of  the  150,000  population  in  New 
York.  There  were  also  a  goodly  number  of  them  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  Jersey,  and  some  In  the  southern  colonies. 
The  Scotch-Irish  who  formed  a  large  element  of  the  settlers, 
especially  in  Pennsylvania  and  the  South,  were  much  like  the 
Puritans.  The  influence  of  the  Quakers  was  marked  even 
outside  of  Pennsylvania.  Of  the  2,500,000  white  colonists  at 
the  beginning  of  the  Revolution  it  has  been  estimated  that  the 
native  tongue  of  five-sixths  was  English. 


*The  Puritans,  England,  Holland  and  America.     Douglas  Campbell.     Vol.   IT,  p. 
405  and  406. 


6o  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

These  people  became  generally  assimilated  in  language, 
ideals  and  national  spirit,  though  two  distinct  groups  o? 
North  and  South  arose.  All  brought  with  them  the  con- 
servative domestic  ideas  of  the  old  country,  and  for  over  two 
hundred  years  of  the  colonies  and  the  early  republic  no  essen- 
tial weakening,  impairment  and  degeneracy  of  the  family 
appear. 

(5)    French  and  English  Colonists. 

France  and  England  were  rivals  for  the  conquest  of  the 
New  World,  the  former  with  nearly  double  the  population 
and  wealth  of  the  latter.  In  the  whole  course  of  the  struggle 
to  colonize,  France  seems  to  have  put  forth  the  greater  effort. 
At  her  expense  she  furnished  armies  to  assist  her  colonists  in 
defense  against  the  Indians  with  such  generals  as  DeTracy 
and  Frontenac,  while  the  English  colonies  not  only  depended 
upon  themselves  for  that  purpose,  but  greatly  assisted  the 
mother  country  in  fighting  the  common  enemy,  France. 
France  encouraged  to  the  utmost  the  coming  of  settlers,  and 
at  one  period  ( 1 665-1 670)  sent  over  1,200  carefully  selected 
girls  for  their  wives  and  furnished  each  with  a  generous 
dowry.  The  young  men  by  official  favoritism  were  almost 
compelled  to  marry,  and  the  French  leaders  seemed  to  have 
had  especially  in  view  the  encouragement  of  large  families 
and  the  rapid  growth  of  population.  Nor  was  her  territory 
on  the  whole  less  favorable  than  that  of  her  rival.  The  fur 
trade  from  the  very  beginning  of  settlement  afforded  great 
profit.  The  fishing,  lumbering  and  transportation  advantages 
were  of  the  best.  Beyond  Quebec  lay  the  rich  lands  and  mild 
climate  of  Ontario,  and  connected  with  these  by  naviga- 
tion was  the  country  about  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  whole 
valley  of  the  Mississippi.  France,  indeed,  founded  settle- 
ments in  the  States  of  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Indi- 
ana and  Illinois.  Nor  did  her  colonists  lack  religious  zeal 
inspired  by  the  ardent  Recollets,  Sulpicians  and  Jesuits,  who 


THE  PURITAN  FAMILY  6i 

besides,  as  missionaries,  won  the  friendship  and  alliance  of  the 
savages.  Quebec  was  founded  in  1608,  and  after  over  150 
years  in  1763,  when  the  whole  French  territory  was  ceded  to 
England,  its  French  population  numbered  but  60,000,  while 
at  that  time  the  white  population  of  the  English  colonies  was 
1,500,000.  That  the  United  States  became  English  rather 
than  French  was  chiefly  due  to  the  rapid  growth  and  pre- 
ponderance of  the  English  colonists. 

(6)    French  and  English  Population. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  it  has  been  care- 
fully estimated  that  as  many  as  30,000  American  loyalists 
emigrated  into  Canada  and  settled  in  the  Provinces  of 
Ontario,  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  and  the  lower 
counties  of  Quebec,  and  the  tide  of  emigration  from  the 
United  States  into  Canada  continued  quite  far  into  the  nine- 
teenth century,  the  French  being  confined  mostly  to  the  terri- 
tory adjacent  to  the  lower  St.  Lawrence.* 

In  about  1830-40  however  the  tide  turned.  This  hardy 
race  of  French-Americans,  originally  largely  gathered  from 
Normandy,  were  becoming  a  numerous  people,  acclimatized, 
and  invigorated  by  200  years  of  residence  on  American  soil 
in  a  rigorous  climate.  They  spread  out  in  all  directions  into 
Canada ;  they  migrated  into  the  northern  part  of  New  York, 
Vermont  and  New  Hampshire,  and  finally  in  large  numbers 
into  the  manufacturing  districts  of  New  England,  and  also 
into  the  Northwestern  States,  until  now  they  number  about 
1,500,000  in  Canada,  and  1,000,000  in  the  United  States. 
The  New  Englanders  from  the  close  of  the  Revolution  con- 
tinued for  a  long  time  their  rapid  spread  and  multiplication. 
First,  northern,  central  and  western  New  York,  and  then 


*As  evidence  of  this  migration  in  the  fore  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  five  of 
the  seven  brothers  of  the  family  of  the  writer's  paternal  grandfather,  (a  Puritan  family 
that  settled  at  Salem,  Mass.,  in  1630,  of  whom  this  branch  was  then  resident  at 
Weybridge  near  Middlebury,  Vt.)  removed  to  Canada,  two  of  whom  including  this 
ancestor   afterwards  returned   to  the  States. 


62  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Ohio,  Michigan  and  northern  Indiana  and  Illinois,  were 
mostly  settled  by  them ;  the  states  lying  in  the  same  latitude 
farther  to  the  west  received  a  large  infusion  of  their  blood. 
Up  to  about  1840  the  people  of  the  Northern  States  were 
almost  wholly  of  the  original  stock,  which  was  chiefly  Anglo- 
Saxon. 

REFERENCES. 

Chas.  G.  D.  Roberts History  of  Canada. 

Henry  C.  Lodge History  of  English  Colonies  in  America. 

Francis   Parkman Frontenac  and    New   France. 

General  Histories  of  the  American  Colonies. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Decadence  of  the  Northern  Yankees. 
( I )    Increase  of  Population. 

Table  i.     Total  Population,  in  Thousands. 


c 

1^ 
—  y 

S6S 

c 

o 

.3 

1° 

So, 

si 

X  a 

"  9 

«>  o  o 

n 

c 

t^    _a 

3 

|§ 

SO. 

8 
1820  to  1830. 
%  Increase. 

9 
1830. 
Population. 

United  States  

Negro    

3.929 
757 

35.1 
32.4 

5.308 
1.002 

36.4 
37.4 

7.239 
1.377 

iZ.l 

28.6 

9.638 
1.771 

33.5      12.866 
31.4        2.328 

32.7 
23.4 

c 

0 

is 

*^  c 
S2^ 

c 

o 

3 

3  o  o 
"  c 

5 
j2     a 

.3 

§  o 
SO, 

X  a 
•"  c 
S6S 

d 

S     a 

.3 
t-  0 

2CU 

il    1 

"c           3 
<=.>-<       0  a 

—  D 

"  c 
Si? 

United    States    

Negro  Pop 

Foreign    Pop 

17.069 
2.873 

35.9 
26.6 

23.191 
3.63S 

2.244 
8.626 
4.721 
17S 
4,679 
4.985 

35.6 

"'22.'8 
67.6 

'"u.-i 

39.6 

31.443 
4.441 
4.138 

10.594 
7.914 
61S 
5.364 
6.9.50 

22.6 
9.9 

"is.'i 

42.2 

"    "9.1 
17.3 

38.558 

4.880 

5.567    . 
12.198 
11.260 
991)    . 

5.853 

8.155 

30. 1      50. 155 
34.8        6.580 
6  679 

24.9 
13.8 

N.     Atlantic    Div.. 

N.    Central    Div 

Western    Div 

.18.        14.507 
34.9      15.196 
1  767 

19.9 
30.2 

S.    Atlantic  Div 

S.     Central    Div 

29.8        7,597 
23.7      10.087 

16. « 
35.3 

c 

c 

r,  1 

3 

1 

3 
0  a 
S  ° 

20, 

United    States    

62.622 
7.488 
9.308 

17.401 

19.683 

3.027 
8.857 

13.651 

20.7 
18.1 

' " '  2b.'9 

white 

2.03 

18. 

white 

17.7 

17.9 
white 

19.9 

25.8 
white 

26. 

76.303 

8.840 
10  460 

Negro    population    .. 

Foreign    population 

North   Atlantic   Divis 

ion    . . . 

21.046 

23.227 

4.091 
10.443 

17.186 

North    Central    DIvis 

ion    . . . 

Western    Division    .. 

South   Atlantic    Divis 

ion    ... 

South    Central    Dlvis 

on     .. . 

64  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Table  i  will  show  the  population  of  the  United  States  at 
each  decennial  census  from  1790  to  1900,  and  the  rate  of 
increase  for  each  decade;  also  the  negro  population  with  its 
rate  of  increase;  also  from  1850  the  foreign  population, 
and  that  of  each  of  the  five  divisions  of  states  with  their  rate 
of  increase.  These  divisions  are  arranged  in  two  classes,  the 
Northern  and  Southern,  and  with  the  northern  we  may 
include  the  western.  In  the  United  States'  census  returns 
the  State  of  Missouri  is  put  in  the  North  Central  Division. 
I  have,  instead,  put  it  into  the  South  Central  and  arranged 
the  populations  and  percentages  accordingly,  because  that 
state,  especially  outside  of  the  City  of  St.  Louis,  represents 
the  southern  or  border  people  and  their  habits  and  character 
rather  than  the  northern.  The  northern  section  is  charac- 
terized and  separated  frorti  the  southern  in  three  essential  par- 
ticulars: I  St,  its  original  population  were  mostly  Puri- 
tans; 2nd,  it  has  but  few  negroes;  3rd,  it  is  chiefly  where 
the  great  foreign  immigration  since  1820  has  come  in.  This 
foreign  immigration  began  essentially  in  1840,  and  it  will  be 
noticed  that  the  increment  of  population  in  the  country  was 
as  great  or  greater  before  than  since  that  time. 

It  will  also  be  noticed  that  the  two  southern  divisions  since 
that  time  without  immigration,  have  increased  about  as  fast 
as  the  two  northern  with  immigration,  and  that  the  southern 
whites,  especially  of  late,  have  increased  even  somewhat 
faster  than  the  negroes. 


DECADENCE  OF  NORTHERN  YANKEES     65 

( 2 )    Present  Number  of  the  Yankees. 

Table  11.     (Table  XLV.    Vol.  i.    Pop.  U.  S.  Census  1900.) 
Number  of  Immigrants  in  Thousands. 


Aggregate     

Canada    and    Newfoundland 

Germany    

Great    Britain     

Ireland    

Norway,    Sweden   and   Denmark. 
Total 

Austiia-Hungary     

Italy    

Russia   and    Poland 

All  others    


19,115 

3,687 

5,246 

2,812 

2,314 

2,598 

2,455 

1,049 

344 

392 

383 

153 

59 

57 

5,009 

505 

1,452 

718 

787 

951 

593 

3,024 

270 

807 

548 

606 

423 

367 

3,871 

390 

655 

436 

435 

914 

1,038 

1,439 

371 

656 

243 

126 

24 

16 

14,393 

1,539 

3,965 

2,329 

2,110 

2,373 

2,075 

1,027 

592 

353 

72 

7 

1,040 

651 

307 

00 

11 

9 

926 

602 

265 

52 

4 

1 

1,726 

301 

355 

301 

180 

213 

374 

Table  II,  will  show  the  foreign  immigration,  and  it  is  the 
intention  of  these  tables  so  far  as  possible  to  separate  these 
people  and  their  descendants  from  the  old  stock  which  we 
will  call  Yankees,  not  for  any  special  virtue  in  the  latter,  but 
simply  for  a  study  of  population.  The  question  is,  how  many 
people  in  this  country  this  immigration  now  represents. 

The  census  returns  give  us  only  the  native  born  of  for- 
eign parentage  with  the  foreign  born  as  a  basis.  Evidently 
a  large  portion  already,  and  an  ever  increasing  larger  portion 
represented  by  this  immigration,  has  and  is  constantly  merging 
into  the  class  in  the  census  indicated  as  native  born  of  native 
parentage.  The  portion,  for  instance,  of  this  immigration 
existing  in  i860,  which  may  be  estimated  at  at  least  five  mil- 
Ions,  has  with  its  increase  almost  entirely  disappeared  in  the 
class  of  native  born  of  native  parentage. 

From  the  census  of  1870  we  have  reported  5,325,000 
native  born  of  foreign  parentage.  The  descendants  of  these 
would  all  be  now  in  the  class  of  native  parentage,  besides  the 
issue  of  many  others  of  foreign  parentage  before  that  time, 


66  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

and  also  the  children  of  all  the  other  native  born  of  foreign 
parentage  since  that  time. 

Considering  the  rapid  increase  of  foreigners,  and  that  the 
original  population  in  this  country  for  a  long  time  doubled 
every  twenty-five  years,  it  might  be  fair  to  assume  that  these 
nineteen  millions  have  become  thirty-eight  millions.  This 
ratio  would  make  the  Irish  representatives  of  it  number  some- 
thing less  than  eight  millions,  and  they  have  been  estimated 
by  many  at  over  ten  millions.  Now  the  number  of  these 
persons  returned  in  1900  of  foreign  parentage,  is  26,198,000, 
and  besides  these  there  is  that  other  large  number  represent- 
ing this  immigration  of  foreign  grand-parentage  or  the  like. 

I  have  taken  a  single  city  as  Plattsburgh,  N.  Y.,  where  in 
the  census  of  1900  about  4-7  of  the  population  are  classed 
as  native  born  of  native  parentage;  2-7  as  native  born  of 
foreign  parentage,  and  1-7  as  foreign  born,  and  from  per- 
sonal observation  estimated  that  not  to  exceed  1-4  of  the  pop- 
ulation, not  4-7,  belong  to  the  original  stock,  that  is,  per- 
sons we  have  called  Yankees  who  represent  the  population 
outside  of  this  immigration. 

The  ratio,  however,  of  the  Yankees  to  those  returned  as 
of  native  parentage  would  be  somewhat  different  in  different 
communities.  Let  every  one  observe  for  himself.  I  have, 
however,  after  much  study  determined  that  by  increasing  the 
number  returned  in  the  census  as  of  foreign  parentage,  by 
one-third  we  would  at  least  not  over-estimate  the  actual  num- 
ber representing  this  immigration.  In  a  few  states  however, 
(marked  with  a  star)  this  estimate  would  overrate  those  of  a 
foreign  extraction,  and  in  these  I  have  taken  1-2  of  the  native 
born  of  native  parentage  to  represent  the  old  stock.*     That 


*In  the  case  of  Plattsburgh,  which  may  be  exceptional,  it  will  be  noticed,  that  by 
diminishing  the  native  born  of  native  parentage  (4-7)  by  1-3  of  those  of  foreign  parent- 
age (3-7)  which  is  1-7,  we  have  3-7,  or  by  taking  1-2  of  4-7  we  have  2-7;  in  both 
cases  over-estimating  the  actual  number  of  Yankees  (1-4)  It  is  the  chief  aim  in  this 
calculation  not  to  under-estimate  the  number  of  the  latter. 


DECADENCE  OF  NORTHERN  YANKEES     67 

estimate  makes  8,285,000  to  be  added  to  the  foreign  parent- 
age, and  gives  us  34,483,000  people  in  the  United  States 
arising  from  this  immigration  of  19  millions.  (See  Table 
II.)  Starting  from  this  basis  in  the  succeeding  tables  will  be 
shown  the  development  and  the  present  character  of  the  vari- 
ous classes  of  the  population. f 


Table  III.     In  Thousands.     North  Atlantic  Division. 


0) 

c 

OS  4-> 

~  9 

to 

Q 

0)  oi  2 

■3  <» 

c 
0 

^ 

X 

X- 

i 

^ 

3  . 

c 

w.5f3 

■*>> 

01! 

0 

2S 

an  *• 
> 

3  £  ii  <« 

0^ 

°'5 

S  i) 

'S'SS 

H 

2S 

2S 

cj 

S  del 

(1<S 

feS 

fed, 

zzs 

02 

OtH 

2 

fo 

ozz 

United    States    .. 

76.303 

26,198 

34.3 

41.053 

27.002 

32,768 

.42 

56.740 

10.250 

115.8 

Maine    

694 

199 

28  8 

493 

628 

427 

62 

599 
322 

92 

87 

8.6 
3.7 

New    Hampshire. 

411 

168 

40.9 

242 

328 

186 

.45 

Vermont     

343 

117 

34.1 

225 

315 

186 

.54 

298 

44 

4.6 

Massachusetts     . . 

2,805 

1,746 

62.3 

1.03S 

1,231 

450 

.16 

1,929 

840 

19.4 

Rhode  Island   

428 

275 

64.2 

144 

174 

•72 

.16 

285 

133 

2.8 

Connecticut     

908 

520 

57.3 

372 

460 

199 

.22 

655 

237 

6.5 

New    York     

7,268 

4.319 

59.4 

2,851 

3,880 

1,412 

.19 

5,267 

1,889 

70.5 

New    Jersey     

1,883 

988 

52.5 

825 

672 

496 

.27 

1,382 

430 

20.5 

Pennsylvania     ... 

6.302 

2,416 

38.3 

3,729 

2,906 

2,924 

.46 

5,159 

982 

99.1 

North        Atlantic 

Division  

21,046 

10.753 

51.1 

9.917 

10,594 

6.352 

.30 

15.898 

4,738 

235.7 



D'O 

C  "> 

HO 

22 

in 

^ 

ill 

VI  0 

0 

«  c 

0 

1  « 

11 
hlldrei 
ative 
oreign 

12 
er     ce 
Childr 
Stock. 

13 
0.     Fo 
to       1 
White 

UZfa 

cu 

Z 

United  States   

50.4 
4.7 
4.1 

.39 

.46 
.27 

2.4 

Maine    

3  a 

New    Hampshire    , 

4. 

Vermont 

1.9 
39.7 

6.1 
11.8 
86.2 
21.4 

.44 

.8 

.8 

.11 

.12 

.18 

2.8 

4  7 

4.7 

5 

3  4 

New    Jersey     

3.3 

Pennsylvania     

32.4 

.42 

1.7 

North  Atlantic  Division  .. 

208.3 

.25 

2.9 

tThe  figures  presented  in  these  tables  are  based  upon  the  census  of  1900.  Since 
then  the  foreign  element  has  relatively  gained  very  fast  in  the  northern  sections,  and 
the  true  proportion  of  Yankees  at  present  for  this  reason  would  be  under  rather  than 
above  the  estimate. 


68 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


Table  IV.     In  Thousands.     North  Central  Division. 


1-1.5 


-       i^ 


di 


o 
o 

.S5 

.C,9 

•O 

Jn'o 

^S 

O 

PhO 

^ 

^^- 

10 
tive 
tive 
ildren 

ed  eo  <3 

fe 

^z6 

Ohio    4,157  1,410  33.9  2,651  2,339  2,181  .52  3,602  457  67.8 

Indiana     2,516  5(*6  20.1  1,952  1,350  1,784  .71  2,316  141  51.2 

Illinois     4,821  2,466  51.2  2,271  1,711  1,449  .30  3,770  964  66.0 

Michigan     2,420  1,373  56.7  1,026  749  569  .23  1,858  540  26.3 

Wisconsin     2,069  1,472  71.2  585  775  292*  .14  1,542  515  24.4 

Minnesota     1,751  1,312  74.9  425  172  212*  .12  1,232  504  16.6 

Iowa     2,231  957  42.9  1,261  674  942  .42  1,912  305  38.0 

North    Dakota    ..  319  247  77.5  65    32*  .10  199  112  2.2 

South    Dakota    ..  401  245  61.1  136  4  68*  .16  292  88  4.7 

Nebraska    1,066  503  47.2  553  28  386  .36  879  177  16.4 

Kansas    1,470  403  27.4  1,013  107  879  .59  1,289  126  27.8 

N.     Central     Div.  23,227  10,898  46.8  11,944  7,914  8,794  .36  18,895  3,936  341.4 
Total      No.       At- 
lantic    and     N. 

Central  Div.    ■■■  44,273  21,651  48.8  21,861  18,268*  15,146  .33  34,793  8,674  576.1 

*240,000  negroes  are  taken  from  the  aggregate  of  column  (5)  in  Tables  III  and  IV. 


cd  ifl  c 

O  0)  oJ 


c  S 


2rt 
o 


Po£ 


Ohio    19.6  .46  2.3 

Indiana    4.7  .71  1.5 

Illinois    46.7  .22  2.7 

Michigan     27.0  .15  3.8 

Wisconsin      27.7  .8  3.4 

Minnesota      30.0  .6  4.4 

Iowa     16.4  .35  2.7 

North    Dakota    7.5  .4  5.9 

South    Dakota    6.2  .10  4.4 

Nebraska       11.1  .26  3.3 

Kansas     7.0  .54  2.6 

North  Central  Division  203.9  .29  2.8 

Total  North   Atlantic   and   North    Central    Division 412. .25  2.8 

Table  V.     In  Thousands.     South  Atlantic  Division. 


^^ 


a 

o 

-d' 

5f 

2| 

05 

c 
c 

q  in 

c 

.Oh 

c  a 

9 

a 
o 

o 
o 

.X 

«2 

0) 

00  > 

cd    .  to 

>  gi  01  a) 

o  . 
.  » 

12 

cent.   White 

;n  of  Old   St 

13 

Foreign    Ch 
1  Native  Wh 

t 

l.  !- 

rteS 

P 

"O 

jp'^ 

d 

o 

ic  d  ul 

JC  o 

i^ 

62 

h 

Pnfe 

Z'^ 

O 

P40 

z, 

fe 

O^Z 

Ofe 

Dh 

'A 

36 

19.5 

118 

91 

96 

.52 

140 

13 

2.7 

.7 

.54 

3.3 

!173 

23. 

680 

516 

589 

.49 

859 

93 

18.1 

4.3 

.51 

2.2 

58 

20.9 

134 

75 

115 

.41 

172 

19 

2.6 

.5 

.56 

1.7 

52 

2-8 

1,141 

1,048 

1,124 

.60 

1,173 

19 

33.1 

.7 

.94 

1.3 

71 

7.4 

843 

820 

.85 

892 

22 

28.0 

.9 

.89 

1.5 

13 

.7 

1,250 

631 

1,246 

.66 

1,259 

4 

39.4 

.2 

.99 

1.6 

17 

1.3 

540 

291 

535 

.40 

552 

5 

16.5 

.2 

.96 

1.3 

38 

1.7 

1,144 

592 

1,132 

.51 

1,169 

12 

34.5 

.5 

.95 

1.4 

51 

9.7 

254 

78 

237 

.45 

278 

19 

7.7 

.9 

.77 

1.7 

611 

5.9 

6,107 

3,322 

5,894 

.56 

6,497 

208 

182.6 

8.9 

.86 

1.6 

Delaware     184 

Maryland 1,188 

Dist.    Columbia   .  278 

Virginia     1,854 

West    Virginia    .  958 

N.    Carolina    ....  1,893 

S.     Carolina    ....  1,340 

Georgia   2,216 

Florida    528 

S.    Atlantic    Div.  10,443 


DECADENCE  OF  NORTHERN  YANKEES     69 


Table  VI.     In  Thousands.     South  Central  Division. 


rtiS 


22: 


■eg 

^1 


i)      Mini-'      oa  4) 

i;     S  <=*  c     *>!; 


O       .c  C8  CC 


Kentucky    2,147  189 

Tennessee    2,020  59 

Alabama    1,828  45 

Mississippi      1,551  28 

Louisiana     1,381  163 

Texas     3,048  471 

Indiana    Territory     392  15 

Oklahoma     398  54 

Arkansas     1,311  47 

Missouri     3,106  741 

South    Central    Division 17,186  1,815 

S.  Atlantic  and  S.  Cen.  Dlv.  27,669  2,426 


8.8  1,673 

2.9  1,481 

2.5  956 
1.8  614 

11.8  569 

15.5  1,959 
4.1  287 

13.6  313 

3.6  897 

23.9  2,204 


919  1,610 

826  1,462 

528  941 

354  605 

358  515 

422  1,802 

282 

295 

'324  882 

964  1,957 


10.5  10,958  4.695  10,351 
8.7  17,065  8.017  16,245 


.75  1,812 
.72  1,522 
.51  986 
.39  633 
.37  677 
.59  2,249 
.72  297 
.74  351 
.67  930 
.63  2,729 
.60  12,191 
.58  18,688 


43.2 
44.2 
20.3 
19.1 
19.4 
64.8 
9.2 
10.3 
28.2 
63.6 
573  322.3 
781  504.9 


50 
17 
14 
7 
52 

179 
4 

15 
14 

216 


1.8 

.7 

.7 

.3 

2.1 

10.5 

.2 

1.1 

.7 

8.9 

27.0 

35.9 


=:  > 
■cs 

_2; 


c  £    "^  o  „■ 

r-i   —  o  '-I  O  C~J 


Kentucky       

.85 

15 

Tennessee    

.94 
.92 
.94 
.69 
.69 
.92 

1.4 

2.4 

1.4 

1.4 

Texas    

2. 

1.3 

.76 
.93 
.63 

.78 
.81 

2.4 

1.6 

1.7 

South   Central   Dl- 

vision 
id  Sou 

1.8 

South  Atlantic  an 

th  Central 

Division   .. 

1.7 

Tabl. 

e  VII. 

In  Thousan 

ds. 

Wester 

•n  Division. 

vx 

X 

d 

o 

a 

c 

-2  '^ 

d 

o 

3 
o 

Oh 

lO  11 

X 

§ 

to  02 

-3 

u 
0 

m 

■a 
0 

a 

V 

t-  0 

11 
> 

9 

orelgn  Whites. 

10 
hlldren     1    year    ol 
ative    Whites, 
ative    Parents. 

11 
hlldren  1  year  old. 
orelgn    Whites. 

er     cent,     of     Whl 
Children  of  OldSto 

13 
0.    Foreign    Chlldr 
to  1   Native  Whlt« 

0^ 

fa 

P^H&H 

Z-4. 

^a 

0 

cu 

Z, 

fa    ozz 

CJfc. 

Ph 

•A 

Montana     

243 

139 

57.3 

92 

46 

.14 

163 

62        2.4 

2.8 

.12 

3.1 

Wyoming  

92 

41 

45.4 

47 

34 

.37 

72 

16       1.2 

.8 

.28 

3. 

Colorado     

539 

218 

40.5 

311 

34 

239 

.44 

438 

90       7.5 

4.2 

.33 

2.7 

New    Mexico     ... 

195 

31 

16. 

149 

93 

139 

.71 

166 

13       4.9 

.7 

.73 

1.8 

122 
276 
42 
161 
518 

50 
169 
21 
67 
241 

40.9 
61.2 
51.7 
41.7 
46.6 

44 
104 
15 
89 
265 

'"'46 

6 

. . .  .^.^ 

28 
52 
8 
67 
185 

.23 
.18 
.19 
.41 
.35 

70 
219 

26 
132 
394 

22       1.3 
52       5.6 
8          .4 
21        3.2 
102        6.0 

1.1 
3.5 
2 
l!3 
4.3 

.22 
.15 
.20 
.36 
.27 

2.7 

Utah     

2.< 

1.8 

2.8 

Washington     

2.7 

Oregon     

413 

151 

36.7 

256 

52 

206 

.50 

340 

53        4.7 

2.1 

.42 

2.9 

California     

1,485 

815 

54.9 

644 

379 

373 

.25 

1,086 

316      14.0 

10.3 

.19 

2.5 

Western    Dlv.     . . 

4,091 

1,949 

47.6 

2,020 

618 

1,377 

.33 

3,112 

760      51.2 

31.3 

.28 

2.5 

N.     Atlantic,     N. 

C.  and  W.   Div. 

16,523 

.33  37,905 

9,434    627.3 

443.5 

.25 

3. 

70  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

Column  ( I )  of  each  of  the  tables  shows  in  thousands  the 
total  population  of  1900.  Column  (2)  shows  all  persons, 
foreign  or  native  born,  of  foreign  parentage.  Column  (3), 
the  percentage  of  those  of  foreign  parentage  set  forth  in 
column  (2)  to  the  whole  population.  Column  (4)  shows 
the  native  whites  of  native  parentage.  Column  ( 5 )  the  white 
population  in  i860,  but  in  the  northern  divisions  the  negro 
population  of  240,000  is  taken  out  at  the  end.  Column  (6) 
shows  the  old  population  or  Yankees,  estimated  as  we  have 
shown  by  taking  out  from  the  returns  of  native  born  of  native 
parentage,  one-third  of  the  number  returned  as  of  foreign 
parentage — in  each  case.  This  calculation  reduces  the  forty- 
one  millions  of  native  born  of  native  parentage  about  one- 
fifth  and  gives  us  32,768,000  as  the  actual  number  of 
Yankees  north  and  south  In  the  United  States,  or  nearly  the 
same  as  those  of  foreign  extraction.  Column  (7)  gives  the 
percentage  of  this  old  stock  to  the  whole  population.  Column 
( 8 )  gives  the  total  native  white  population.  Column  ( 9 )  the 
foreign  whites.  Column  (10)  gives  all  the  white  children 
of  one  year  of  age  and  under  In  the  census  year  of  1900  whose 
parents  are  native  born.  Column  (11)  such  white  children 
whose  parents  are  foreign  born. 

Column  (12)  gives  the  percentage  of  all  such  white  chil- 
dren whose  parents  are  both  native  born  or  foreign  born, 
that  the  old  stock  or  Yankees  furnish.  This  percentage  is 
based  upon  the  assumption  that  the  Yankees  have  as  many 
children  In  proportion  to  their  population,  as  do  the  remain- 
ing native  whites.  Column  (13)  gives  the  number  of  children 
that  foreigners  have  proportionate  to  their  population  to  one 
child,  that  the  native  born  have,  all  being  whites. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  every  case  the  foreigners  have 
more  children,  and  this  is  partly  explained  by  the  fact  that 
they  are  mostly  adults  and  come  over  when  comparatively 
young.    From  this  cause  alone  however,  their  number  of  chll- 


DECADENCE  OF  NORTHERN  YANKEES     71 

dren  would  be  something  less  than  double ;  for  in  the  southern 
section,  supposing  them  there  to  be  of  equal  fertility  with  the 
natives,  their  number  of  children  is  considerably  less  than 
double.  But  in  any  event  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ten  millions 
of  foreigners  in  this  country  count  for  far  more  than  their 
proportionate  number  in  making  a  population,  in  some  cases 
four  to  five  times  as  much.  These  last  ratios  of  children  show 
the  future  trend  of  the  population. 

(4)  Northern  and  Southern  Yankees. 

It  will  be  noticed 'as  in  column  (7)  that  the  Yankees  are 
relatively  fast  disappearing  in  the  north,  and  that  their  pro- 
portion especially  in  the  eastern  and  some  western  states  has 
already  become  quite  small. 

It  might  be  interesting  to  compare  Massachusetts  with 
North  Carolina.  In  i860  Massachusetts  had  (Column  5) 
1,231,000  population,  and  if  we  deduct  1-4  for  foreigners 
and  negroes,  we  have  over  900,000  Yankees.  North  Caro- 
lina had  at  that  time  631,000  of  the  old  white  population. 
Now  (Column  6)  the  former  has  450,000;  the  latter  1,246,- 
000;  that  is,  the  former  has  diminished  by  one-half  and  the 
latter  nearly  doubled.  Nor  do  we  get  an  explanation  by  sup- 
posing a  greater  emigration  from  Massachusetts.  The  census 
shows  that  of  the  native  born  now  in  Massachusetts  there  are 
94,000  more  that  were  born  in  other  states,  than  there  are  in 
other  states  of  those  born  in  Massachusetts,  that  is  that  the 
interstate  migration  has  been  to  that  extent  to  the  latter 
state,  and  not  from  it;  while  the  same  census  returns  show 
that  North  Carolina  has  not  gained  but  lost  179,000  by 
migration  to  other  states.  By  a  further  comparison  (Column 
12)  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Yankees  of  Massachusetts  have 
but  eight  per  cent,  of  the  rising  white  children  of  their  state, 
while  those  of  North  Carolina  have  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of 
theirs.  From  another  source,  and  from  the  State  reports,  it 
has  been  carefully  estimated  that  the  number  of  children  per 


72  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

family  of  the  old  native  stock  of  Massachusetts  is  but  1.8,  a 
rate  which,  considering  the  modern  tendency  of  that  class 
not  to  marry,  would  result  in  the  loss  of  nearly  one-half  of  the 
population  at  each  generation. 

What  appears  strikingly  in  the  cases  of  these  two  states  will 
also  appear  generally  when  comparing  the  northern  and 
southern  sections  in  columns  5  and  6.  In  column  (5)  Table 
IV,  we  have  18,268,000  whites  of  the  two  northern  sec- 
tions in  i860,  and  if  we  diminish  the  same  by  1-4  for  foreign- 
ers we  have  13,701,000  for  the  old  population.  In  Column 
5,  Table  VI  we  have  8,017,000  whites  for  the  two  southern 
divisions  in  i860.  Column  (6)  of  the  first  table  will  show 
15,146,000  Yankees  in  the  north  in  1900,  while  in  column 
(6)  of  Table  VI  we  have  16,245,000  Yankees  in  the  south 
in  1900.  The  former  have  increased  about  10  per  cent,  in 
forty  years  while  the  latter  have  more  than  doubled.  Also 
if  we  compare  in  Table  III,  columns  (5)  and  (6)  reducing 
the  amounts  set  forth  in  column  ( 5 )  by  one-quarter  for  the 
foreign  and  colored  population  at  that  time,  we  shall  find  that 
in  the  North  Atlantic  Division,  except  Pennsylvania  where 
there  was  a  large  original  German  population,  the  Yankees 
have  actually  decreased  in  numbers  from  i860  to  1900. 

(5)   Resettlement. 

It  further  partly  appears  from  column  (13)  that  the  native 
whites  of  foreign  origin  are  fast  waning  in  reproduction  as 
compared  with  their  ancestors,  or  with  the  earlier  Yankees. 
This  fact  can  also  be  definitely  seen  by  personal  observation. 
Perhaps  no  system  of  taking  the  census  would  enable  one  to 
abstract  and  study  separately  with  accuracy  the  former  ele- 
ments of  a  population  where  there  has  been  much  immigra- 
tion, and  yet  this  is  the  main  question  in  studying  the  effects 
of  the  institutions  of  a  country,  and  is  the  chief  point  we  have 
in  view  in  these  tables.     It  was  with  this  same  end,  that  the 


DECADENCE  OF  NORTHERN  YANKEES     73 

enumerating  of  those  of   foreign  parentage   was  begun   in 
1870. 

It  is  sufficiently  obvious  however,  that  the  northern  sec- 
tion of  the  United  States  is  being  overwhelmed  by  an  ava- 
lanche of  other  life  and  other  blood.  But  33  per  cent,  are 
left  therein  from  the  original  population  (Column  7,  Table 
IV)  and  twenty-five  per  cent,  from  their  children  for  the  ris- 
ing generation  (Column  12).  This  means,  of  course,  a 
resettlement  of  the  country  which  is  practically  the  case  in  the 
northeastern  states.  Now  although  it  might  be  argued  that 
the  old  stock  has  lost  its  strength  and  virility,  and  that  we 
can  build  up  quite  as  good  a  population  by  the  infusion  and 
crossing  of  new  blood;  yet  if  the  new  people,  so  fast  as  it  is 
formed,  likewise  gives  way  to  a  horde  of  new  invaders,  as 
seems  now  to  be  portentous,  then  it  would  be  well  to  halt  and 
discover  the  error  in  our  social  system.  We  certainly  cannot 
be  so  fatuous  as  to  say  we  will  forever  build  up  a  new  peo- 
ple, and  as  fast  as  formed  destroy  it,  and  that  that  course  is 
progress. 

(6)  Causes  of  the  Decadence. 

To  look  beneath  and  see  the  underlying  cause  that  effects 
a  serious  social  condition,  a  cause  removable  at  will,  and  not 
merely  to  specify  necessary  causes  that  cannot  be  over- 
thrown but  may  be  worked  around,  or  fitful  causes  that  come 
and  go,  or  trifling  causes  that  may  be  ignored,  is  the  highest 
task  of  philosophy.  The  causal  wav^e  that  seems  well  nigh 
to  have  whelmed  into  impending  death  and  destruction  a 
gifted  people,  the  Yankees  of  the  north,  who  had  but  tasted 
of  the  higher  culture,  art  and  progress,  is  not  a  form  of 
religion ;  for  the  Puritans  throve  for  many  generations  under 
the  same;  nor  Is  it  a  weak  race;  for  the  English  nationality 
has  long  been  triumphant;  nor  an  unpropitlous  country  or 
climate;  for  at  the  north  subjected  to  a  greater  rigor  of 
cold  for  the  same  period,  the  French  Canadians  have  con- 


74  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

tinued  to  thrive,  and  at  the  South  the  same  English  race  has 
not  yet  flagged  In  Hfe's  current;  nor  Is  It  necessarily  compe- 
tition with  a  lower  standard,  an  underbidding,  underlying 
immigration ;  for  the  South  has  had  a  standard  still  lower,  a 
race  more  suited  to  their  hot  climate  to  compete  with;  nor  is 
it  concentration  In  the  cities,  erst  thought  to  be  the  great 
destroyers  of  life;  for  more  than  one-half  of  the  ten  mil- 
lion immigrants  are  in  the  cities  of  25,000  and  over,  and 
their  per  cent.  In  such  cities  Is  26.1  while  outside  It  Is  but 
9.4.  The  latter  too  have  been  in  like  manner  subject  to  all 
the  modern  Influences,  perhaps  baleful  to  the  family,  of  the 
extreme  specialization  of  labor,  the  factory  system,  and  even 
the  competition  of  women  In  the  industries. 

There  seems  to  be  one  central  cause  that  strikes  at  the  fam- 
ily that  Is  nurtured  here,  and  which  the  foreigner  reared 
abroad  has  escaped : — It  Is  a  theory  that  Ignores  reproduction, 
that  violates  the  principles  of  love  and  domestic  association, 
and  that  began  more  obviously  in  fearing  childhood  and 
avoiding  parenthood.  The  child  was  the  ulterior  object  of 
love  and  sacrifice,  and  to  remove  or  avoid  that  object  Is  to 
break  up  the  necessity,  the  greatest  utility  and  the  desire  of 
the  home  itself.  Thus  selfishness,  which  has  ever  been 
checked  and  subdued  by  the  love  and  attraction  between  the 
sexes  and  by  parenthood,  could  spring  up  and  reign  supreme. 
Equality,  independence,  competition  and  warfare  could  riot- 
ously flourish  between  the  sexes  contrary  to  nature  and  the 
course  of  things,  bringing  speedy  degeneracy.  There  will  be 
hereinafter  some  of  the  variations  of  this  cause  presented. 


REFERENCES. 

Twelfth  census  of  the  United  States  1900.   Vols.   I  and  II  Population. 

NOTE. — "There  is  no  radical  cure  for  degeneration  but  in  a  pure  and  sane  family- 
life,  which  disciplines  the  welcome  and  untainted  child  in  the  robust  virtue  of  self  con- 
trol, and  in  an  unswerving  allegiance  to  duty." 

Giddings-Principles   of   Sociology,   P.   352. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Equality  of  the  Sexes. 
( I )  Evolution  of  Ideas. 

IDEAS,  as  well  as  desires,  instincts  or  emotions,  are 
social  forces,  and  may  be  analyzed,  abstracted  and 
dealt  with  as  such.  A  center  of  light  sends  its  rays  in 
all  directions.  A  mass  of  matter  as  a  ball  in  motion, 
displaces  everything  before  it;  likewise,  an  idea  trans- 
mitted from  mind  to  mind,  so  far  as  it  carries  conviction,  has 
an  effect  precisely  according  to  its  content,  or  what  it  means. 
Now  ideas  are  generally  the  predication  of  some  quality  or 
thing  concerning  a  class  or  many  individuals  as  subject,  and 
are  in  form  universal  propositions  as,  "All  men  are  mor- 
tal." The  idea  is  expressed  as  a  universal  or  absolute  truth, 
and  moves  and  has  its  force,  like  the  center  of  light,  in  all 
directions  as  such  universal. 

The  fact  is,  however,  that  most  social  ideas  are  not  uni- 
versal or  absolute  truths,  but  are  empirical  and  only  par- 
ticular or  relative  truths,  and,  as  they  move  down  through 
social  life  expressing  and  by  reason  of  logic  having  the  force 
of  a  universal  proposition,  they  contain  an  element  of  error, 
always  to  be  watched  and  to  be  eliminated  by  a  limitation  of 
the  original  proposition,  restricting  its  universality.  The  his- 
tory of  all  evolving  thought  shows  this  constant  tendency, 
and  nowhere  more  clearly  than  in  the  development  of  a  sys- 
tem of  civil  law.  The  Court  of  Equity  in  England  arose 
from  the  necessity  of  limiting  the  too  extensive  generaliza- 
tions of  the  common  law. 


76  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(2)   Equality. 

The  idea,  that  all  men  are  equal,  illustrates  such  a  propo- 
sition, universal  in  form  and  carrying  conviction  by  its 
expression  as  if  absolutely  true.  In  a  democracy  like  ours  this 
idea  is  pushed  by  the  force  of  mere  logic  and  free  institu- 
tions to  the  utmost,  until  to  the  common  mind  it  stands  as  a 
first  principle,  almost  without  exception  or  reservation. 

And  first  what  does  the  proposition  mean.  Now  there  is 
and  has  been  from  the  beginning  running  down  through 
Christian  civilization  an  ideal  of  equality  between  the  sexes. 
This  may  be  expressed  asA  +  x  =  B  +  y;  not  A  =  B :  where 
A  and  B  represent  mere  human  personality,  and  x  and  y  dif- 
ferentials of  sex.  There  has  also  been  an  ideal  of  economic 
equality,  which  is  an  equality  of  station  and  honor,  of  equal 
enjoyment  of  the  common  labor;  but  there  has  not  been  an 
equality  of  authority,  of  the  management  of  property 
acquired  by  the  husband,  and  of  control  in  the  state  or  family. 
It  is  the  confusion  of  these  two  equalities  that  makes  the 
confusion  of  reasoning.*  It  is  the  meaning  of  equality  in  the 
latter  sense,  or  an  ideal  of  sex  identity,  that  has  been  largely 
current  which  is  herein  presented  and  opposed. 

Political  equality  must  mean,  "all  men  stand  equal  before 
the  law,  have  the  same  privileges  and  are  subject  to  the  same 
burdens."  And  under  men  why  not  include  women  also? 
Therefore,  all  men  and  women,  whether  married  or  single, 
should  stand  equal  before  the  law,  and  be  subject  to  the  same 
burdens  while  enjoying  like  privileges.  Such  is  the  inevitable 
force  of  logic,  and  such  is  the  inevitable  tendency  of  this  idea 
of  political  equality  unless  limited.  But  our  theory  of  law 
and  the  social  condition  of  the  family,  has  always  held  that 
women,  more  especially  married  women,  should  have  certain 
privileges,  and  be  freed  from  burdens  to  which  men,  especially 


"The  ideal  equality  between  the  sexes  might  be  termed  social  equality,  unless  per- 
haps the  ladies  in  this  respect  should  have  a  preference  of  social  superiority. 


EQUALITY  OF  THE  SEXES  77 

married  men  are  subject.  Here  is  a  collision,  and  it  is  this  col- 
lision that  makes  the  difficulty.  The  question  is,  "shall  we 
put  women  upon  the  same  legal  footing  as  men?"  If  so,  the 
law  of  the  domestic  relations,  of  the  respective  rights  of  hus- 
band and  wife,  must  be  almost  entirely  changed. 

(3)  Logical  End  of  Equality. 

Of  course  there  are  some  who  might  argue,  that  you  should 
give  women  all  the  privileges,  and  put  upon  men  all  the  bur- 
dens; that  women  should  have  the  power,  but  men  bear  the 
responsibility,  that  women  should  spend  or  control  the  money, 
but  men  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the  family.  This  can  be  talked 
or  argued,  but  it  will  not  reason  out  nor  work  out.  Just  as 
plain  as  is  the  proposition,  that  equality  is  equality,  or  A  is 
A,  so  the  inevitable  end  of  this  notion  of  the  political  and 
legal  equality  of  sex,  is,  that  the  wife  and  husband  shall  stand 
alike  before  the  law;  whatever  privileges  she  now  has,  he 
shall  have;  whatever  burdens  he  now  bears,  she  shall  bear. 
If  men  now  support  the  family,  women  also  must,  or  neither 
must.  If  wives  may  now  leave  their  husbands  with  impunity, 
husbands  also  may  leav-e  their  wives,  or  both  be  alike 
restricted.  Alimony  must  be  entirely  dispensed  with,  or  if 
allowed,  taken  or  given  impartially  as  to  each.  In  fact, 
almost  an  entirely  new  code  as  to  the  domestic  relations  will 
be  necessary.  In  order  to  determine  what  this  new  code 
might  be,  it  would  be  better  to  assume  that  men  would  enjoy 
all  the  privileges  that  women  now  have,  without  the  right 
however  to  compel  them  to  do,  what  the  men  would  not  be 
compelled  to  do :  that  is,  the  marriage  relation  would  be  free 
on  both  sides,  and  either  party  could  withdraw  at  his  pleas- 
ure and  take  his  property  without  hindrance.  Such  marriage 
we  will  call  "free  marriage,"  or  "free  love  in  the  law," 
though  not  necessarily,  in  fact.* 


'See  Chap.  XIII,  Sc^s.  3  and  4  post. 


78  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(4)  Effect  of  Free  Marriage. 

It  is  a  very  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  such  a  free  mar- 
riage would  at  once  result  in  the  destruction  of  the  family,  of 
society  and  civilization.  Such  has  been  substantially  the  sys- 
tem in  China,  and  also  in  Japan.  Such  was  the  system  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  for  the  husband  could  divorce  his  wife  at  his 
pleasure,  and  if  in  the  wrong,  need  only  return  the  dowry  he 
had  received  from  her.  And  so  likewise  at  Athens,  although 
there  the  wife  had  greater  difficulty  in  being  released.  Under 
the  Roman  Republic,  the  husband's  power  being  unlimited, 
he  had  no  restriction.  Nor  does  the  husband  seem  to  have 
been  much  restricted  under  the  Mosaic  law.  The  Mohamme- 
dan husband  is  but  little  restricted  to-day.  Outside  of  Chris- 
tianity, the  right  of  free  divorce  to  the  husband  has  been  the 
general  rule,  and  under  Christianity,  as  in  several  of  the 
states  of  this  country,  the  right  of  free  separation,  that  is  to 
leave  and  take  your  property  with  impunity  and  without  legal 
action,  (not  including  the  right  to  remarry),  is  accorded  to 
married  women,  though  not  to  married  men. 

It  is  much  nearer  the  truth,  that  most  married  persons, 
under  the  religious  and  moral  ideas  they  now  possess,  would 
remain  faithful  to  each  other  without  any  law  whatsoever 
regulating  their  mutual  personal  rights  as  affected  by  mar- 
riage, and  for  reasons  that  will  appear  more  especially  here- 
after, it  would  seem  that  under  such  conditions  divorces  and 
separations  might  to  some  extent  be  less  frequent  than  they 
are  in  some  states  and  in  some  instances  in  this  country  to- 
day.* 

(5)  The  Ties  of  Marriage. 

Far  deeper  and  stronger  than  the  law  is  the  tie  that  binds 
together  husband  and  wife.  In  the  first  place  it  lies  in  human 
nature,  in  honor  and  in  love.     It  is  supported  by  an  innate 


*See  Chap.   XIV,   Sees.  3  and  4  post. 


EQUALITY  OF  THE  SEXES  79 

sense  of  morals  and  by  public  opinion.  It  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing cultures  of  Christianity  as  seen  in  the  horror  of  separa- 
tion. It  is  fastened  by  the  tender  hands,  the  ruby  lips,  the 
appealing  innocent  eyes,  of  your  own  little  children.  It  is 
this  spirit  of  matrimonial  fidelity  that  makes  what  protecting 
laws  we  have,  rather  than  the  law  that  creates  the  former. 
Without  any  law  also,  marriage  would  be  encouraged,  espe- 
cially on  the  part  of  men.  They  would  not  fear  to  enter,  and 
women  would  thus  have  a  better  chance  for  selection,  and 
could  protect  themselves  by  special  contract  as  to  property 
and  personal  rights.  The  state  could  protect  itself  by  requir- 
ing that  both  father  and  mother  should  be  holden  for  the  sup- 
port of  their  children. 

I  have  presented,  I  think  fairly,  the  possibilities  of  free 
marriage  without  by  any  means  approving,  but  to  try  to  give 
a  forecast  of  that  condition  of  society,  to  which  the  doctrine 
of  political  equality  between  the  sexes  leads  us. 

(6)  Female  Suffrage. 

Natural  inequality  cannot  be  changed  to  equality  either  by 
law  or  the  absence  of  law.  The  ideal  equality  in  marriage, 
that  is,  that  both  shall  equally  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the  common 
labor,  can  only  be  reached  by  love,  assisted  by  such 
law  as  the  great  majority  of  generous  benevolent  men  shall 
impose  on  the  minority  of  men.  An  entire  absence  of  law,  or 
what  is  the  same,  an  equality  of  law,  leaves  the  woman  to  the 
weakness  of  her  natural  condition,  and  she  tends  to  fall  into 
that  state  of  lesser  honor  in  which  she  is  held  in  oriental 
countries.  The  fact  alone  that  she  may  be  deserted  at  any 
time,  leaves  her  comparatively  helpless,  and  forced  con- 
stantly to  yield  and  succumb  to  Individual  dictation.  She 
should  have  superior  protection,  guarded  not  only  by  individ- 
ual honor,  but  by  custom  and  law,  but  such  law  only  as 
men  as  a  class  voluntarily  assume,  that  is,  a  law  that  goes 
beyond  the  justice  among  equals,  and  affords  privilege  and 


8o  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

superiority.  It  is  the  law  of  ethics  rather  than  the  law  of  jus- 
tice. Without  any  such  discriminating  law,  and  without  mar- 
riage with  the  moral  and  religious  bonds  and  sanctions  that 
surround  it,  it  is  evident  from  current  facts,  without  reference 
to  other  countries  or  other  times,  that  woman  would  fall  into 
a  state  of  concubinage,  which  is,  indeed,  equality  before  the 
law. 

Female  suffrage  rests  for  its  argument  upon  equality,  and 
when  its  advocates  reach  beyond  equality  as  a  right,  and 
demand  privileges  for  women,  their  argument  contradicts 
and  stultifies  itself.  The  whole  theory  of  suffrage  in  demo- 
cratc  government  is  based  upon  the  idea  of  equal  burdens  and 
duties,  as  well  as  rights,  and  its  principles  are  destroyed  when 
any  persons  exercising  equal  power,  claim  special  privileges; 
but  privileges  are  granted  or  given  as  favors  to  the  weaker, 
whether  in  the  home  or  by  law  in  the  state. 

(7)  Effect  of  Equality. 

The  idea  of  sex  equality,  that  has  to  a  large  extent  per- 
vaded the  northern  section  of  the  United  States,  has  tended 
very  much  to  weaken  the  family.  It  has  impaired  the  ideal  of 
superiorities  in  the  opposite  sex  that  has  mutually  attracted 
each.  It  has  tended  to  blast  the  rising  bloom  of  romantic 
love.  It  has  tended  to  strife,  conflict  and  sex  warfare,  rather 
than  to  amity  and  love.  It  has  tended  to  create  in  women 
ambitions  and  modes  of  life  and  thought  hostile  to  a  con- 
tented and  successful  wifehood,  and  to  destroy  in  men  chiv- 
alry, benevolence  and  kindness  towards  women.  It  has  hast- 
ened on  the  industrial  employment  of  women  far  faster  than 
the  changed  conditions  of  industrial  life  warranted  or 
demanded. 

Constantly  throwing  down  to  the  masculine  mind  "we  are 
equal  in  every  respect"  until  he  believes  it,  raises  in  him  at 
once  the  question  "why  do  you  need  any  more  help  or  favor 
than  a  man?"  and  he  refuses  to  assume  superior  obligations, 


EQUALITY  OF  THE  SEXES 


until  the  weaker  woman  is  compelled  to  compete  on  equal 
terms  with  the  stronger  man.  Having  this  belief,  if  you 
impose  upon  him  in  marriage  far  greater  obligations, 
he  will  eschew  marriage,  or  if  already  in  its  bonds,  will  do  his 
best  to  escape  them.  In  other  words  you  spoil  the  men  for 
husbands,  as  soon  as  you  have  thoroughly  converted  them  to 
the  idea  of  sex  equality. 

The  evolution  of  the  idea  of  sex  equality  is  therefore,  first, 
towards  an  actual  political  equality  in  all  respects,  and  thence 
to  the  retrogression  of  women  to  the  inferior  condition  of 
less  civilized  society,  or  to  the  impairment  of  marriage  and  the 
destruction  of  society.* 

(8)  Equality  Against  Nature. 

The  tendency  to  equality  of  sex  seems  also  to  be  against 
the  course  of  nature.  It  fosters  as  an  ideal  sex  likeness,  and 
it  would  seem  to  produce  an  ever  increasing  assimiliation  of 
sex  which  would  tend  to  cause  degeneracy.  Not  only  an 
Identity  of  ideals  in  each  sex  would  check  the  inducements  to 
marriage,  but  it  is  very  probable  that  reproduction  itself 
would  be  seriously  impeded.  As  the  outspreading  branches 
of  the  tree  of  evolution  diverge  wider  and  wider,  so  in  the 
progress  of  humanity,  the  sexes  diverge,  and  an  artificial  cul- 
ture contrary  to  natural  growth  is  deleterious.  In  an  advanc- 
ing society  more  and  more  the  children  need  care  and  nurture, 
and  a  tendency  that  turns  the  attention  of  mothers  from  that 
function  must  be  retrogressive.  Great  is  the  effect  of  mind 
upon  body,  and  nowhere  greater  that  the  mind  of  woman 
upon  her  reproductive  constitution.  During  her  most  affec- 
tive period,  thrown  into  exciting  surroundings  with  aims  and 


*A  people  under  free  love  without  either  the  moral  and  religious  obligations,  or 
the  consequent  laws  of  marriage,  would  not  be  apt  to  survive  unless  perhaps  in 
communism  or  by  holding  wives  and  children  in  the  greatest  subjection,  as  prop- 
erty.   See  Chap.  II,  Sec.  4,  ante. 

6 


82  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

ambitions  contrary  to  her  natural  sphere,  she  can  hardly  fail 
to  be  greatly  affected  injuriously  as  to  maternity  with  very 
significant  evil  results  to  the  race.  In  a  lower  state  of  culture, 
as  among  savages,  the  physical  so  predominates  that  great 
diversity  of  sex  seems  unnecessary,  but  in  the  higher  life, 
nature  seems  to  demand  a  more  delicate  balancing  of  sexual 
elements  to  give  vigor  and  vitality:  the  limits  of  diversity 
must  be  reached,  variation  must  stretch  out  its  arms  to  the 
utmost  in  order  that  new  life  with  redoubled  vigor  shall 
begin. 

Whence  comes  this  theory  that  the  sexes  shall  be  alike  or 
identical  again  as  before  sex  arose?  Instinct,  love,  feeling, 
perhaps  our  truest  guide,  do  not  demand  it.  Science  repudi- 
ates it,  and  history,  in  this  country  if  not  elsewhere,  may  soon 
show  it  to  be  disastrous.  But  if  nothing  else  be  a  sufficient 
objection  to  this  assimilation,  manners  and  morals  stand 
imperiled  before  it.  Chivalry,  love,  condescension  and  sacri- 
fice become  shattered,  while  romantic  love  fritters  away  into 
lust  and  promiscuity. 

REFERENCES. 

As  to  ideas  being  forces.   Ward's  Pure  Sociology.  P-   472 
As    to    Free    Divorce,    Westermarck,    Human   Marriage,   P.   518,   et  seq. 
As  to  the   Law   of   Ethics  and   Justice,    Herbert  Spencer,  Vol.  1,  P.  721  of  Sociology. 
As  to  moral  and  political   ideas  being  enapirical  and  particular,  John   S.   Mill,   Sys- 
tem of  Logic. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Occupations  of  Women. 
Table  VIIL    Females  Employed.    In  Thousands. 


T-4    "' 


Z'S 


£B 

£.B 

as 

«2H 

*H 

dpq 

S 

S 

a 

—  01 

a2i 

■3.2 

•a 

aSi 

<u 

c4 

is 

o 

is 

& 

is 

■^^^ 

a 

-fa  . 

♦Jt  . 

CD  c3  a 

3 

o.  Em 
90. 

4 
er  cen 
and 
ployed 

5 
o.    Em 
00. 

6 
er  cen 
and 
ployed 

CU 

za 

Oh 

ZS 

a, 

15.2 

3.914 

17.2 

5,319 

18.3 

7.7 

678 

7.9 

977 

9.4 

29.4 

311 

33. 

430 

34.2 

34.6 

1,667 

39.5 

2,095 

37.5 

3.4 

228 

6.9 

503 

10.6 

16.7 

1,027 

18.1 

1,312 

18.5 

All   occupations    2,647 

Agricultural    pursuits     594 

Professional    service     177 

Domestic  and  personal   service   1, 181 

Trade    and    Transportation    63 

Manufacturing    and    Mechanical    Pursuits 631 


OS 


an 

am 

am 

Si! 

Sii 

^■S 

H|^ 

H5  . 

«i. 

*j  s  ^ 

*^  ott 

.M  I'lS 

Cfe  3 

Cfc  3 

cfas 

tdCLi 

SfertPH 

ffertcf 

Oh 

sph 

S^        S 

100. 

100. 

100. 

22.5 

17.3 

18.4 

6.7 

8. 

8.1 

44.6 

42.6 

39.4 

2.4 

5.8 

9.4 

23.8 

26.3 

24.7 

All    occupations    

Aricultural    pursuits     

Professional    service     

Domestic   and  personal   service    

Trade   and   transportation    

Manufacturing    and    Mechanical    Pursuits. 


84 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


Table  IX. 


V  ID  U 


Es-S 


E  cj  o 


San    Francisco     23. 

Denver     22.2 

New   Haven   28.9 

Washington     33.4 

Chicago    23.2 

Manchester     41.2 

Boston    30.2 

Cambridge     29. 

Fall     River     41.4 

Lowell    41.9 

Worcester    26. 

Detroit     26.7 

Minneapolis    25. 

St.    Paul    26.5 

St.     Joseph     '. 26.9 

St.     Louis     23.7 

Kansas    City     24.1 

Omaha   25.5 

Newark 24. 7 

Paterson 29.4 

Albany     25.2 

New    York    27.1 

Rochester  29. 1 

Syracuse       24. 1 

Troy      38. 2 

Cincinnati       27.4 

Philadelphia      27.8 

Providence      31.4 

Average      28.7 


28.7 

27.7 

36.1 

41.7 

29. 

51.5 

37.7 

36.2 

51.7 

52.3 

32.5 

33.3 

31.2 

33.1 

33.6 

29.6 

30.1 

32.1 

30.8 

36.7 

31.4 

33.8 

36.2 

31.1 

47.7 

34.2 

34.7 

39.2 

35.8 


( I )  Number  Employed. 

Column  I  of  Table  VIII  will  show  the  number  in  thou- 
sands of  females  employed  and  column  2  the  percentage  of 
females  employed  to  all  males  and  females  employed  in  occu- 
pations outside  of  home  for  the  year  1880.  Columns  3  and 
4  will  show  the  same  for  1890,  and  columns  5  and  6  the  same 
for  1900.  Columns  7,  8  and  9  will  show  respectively  for  the 
years  1880,  1890  and  1900,  the  percentage  of  females 
employed  in  each  pursuit  mentioned  to  the  whole  number  of 
females  employed.  If  we  exclude  agriculture  and  take  the 
other  occupations  alone  we  shall  find  that  the  percentage  of 
women  employed  to  all  men  and  women  employed  is  over  23 
per  cent.  The  number  of  women  employed  in  1900  is  100  per 
cent,  greater  than  in  1880,  and  the  number  of  women  em- 


OCCUPATIONS  OF  WOMEN  85 

ployed  in  other  occupations  than  agriculture  in  1900  is  1 1 1 
per  cent,  greater  than  1880,  while  population  has  increased 
during  that  period  52  per  cent.  The  actual  number  of  occu- 
pations filled  by  women  in  the  northeastern  and  north  central 
states  outside  of  agriculture  cannot  be  less  than  25  per  cent, 
or  one-quarter  of  all. 

Column  I  of  Table  IX  will  show  the  percentage  of  females 
employed  in  the  cities  named,  out  of  all  females  over  ten  years 
of  age.  Now  if  all  married  and  single  females  that  could  pos- 
sibly work  were  employed,  the  percentage  could  not  be  higher 
than  that  returned  for  males,  who  are  practically  all  that 
could  possibly  work  listed  in  employments,  and  such  per- 
centage of  males  over  10  years  of  age  is  about  eighty  per 
cent,  of  the  whole  on  the  average.  To  determine  therefore 
the  percentage  of  women  now  employed  outside  of  their 
homes  in  these  cities  to  all  that  could  be  so  engaged,  the  fig- 
ures in  column  i  must  be  increased  by  one-fourth,  which  is 
done  in  column  2.  The  average  for  the  percentage  in  column 
2  is  35.8  per  cent.,  which  shows  that  in  these  cities  over  one- 
third  of  all  women  married  and  single,  capable  of  employ- 
ment, are  actually  employed  and  listed  in  the  United  States 
Census  of  1900. 

Column  9  of  Table  VIII  gives  the  percentage  of  females 
employed  in  domestic  and  personal  service  in  1900  as  39.4,  or 
about  40  per  cent.  This  subdivision  includes  some  occupa- 
tions as  janitors,  lodging  house  and  restaurant  keepers  for- 
merly not  filled  by  women,  but  will  fairly  represent  when  con- 
sidering other  occupations,  as  seamstress  listed  under  mechan- 
ical pursuits,  the  proportion  of  women  as  formerly  occupied. 
Of  this  40  per  cent.,  about  one-half,  or  twenty  per  cent,  are 
strictly  domestic  employments,  as  house  servants,  and  twenty 
per  cent.,  other  employments  formerly  filled  by  women.  Sixty 
per  cent,  therefore  of  the  total  number  of  women  returned 


86  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

as  employed  would  represent  the  number  now  filling  posi- 
tions formerly  occupied  by  men, 

(2)  Causes  of  Woman's  Employment. 

The  causes  that  have  produced  this  industrial  revolution  are 
mainly  three : — First,   the   increase   of  population   and   the 
change  from  rural  to  urban  life ;   second,  the  change  of  mak- 
ing or  preparing  goods  from  the  domestic  circle  to  external 
employments  and  the  factory  system ;  third,  the  growing  idea 
of  equality,  assimilation  of  sex  and  feminine  independence. 
The  first  two  causes  may  be  considered  together.     If  there 
was  not  sufficient  domestic  work  left  for  women,  then  they  in 
justice  should  in  proportion  labor  outside;    but  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  domestic  work  operating  alone,  there  would  never 
have  been  a  dearth  of  hands  to  perform  domestic  labor,  as  has 
constantly  been  the  case,  but  that  field  of  labor  would  have 
been  from  the  beginning  over  supplied.     House  help  would 
have  been  cheaper,  and  domestic  economy  greater,  and  the 
cost  of  living  less  because  more  talent,  skill  and  attention  of 
women  had  been  applied  to  it,  and  greater  numbers  compet- 
ing.   However  much  the  first  two  causes  may  have  operated, 
it  has  been  constantly  overborne  by  the  third  cause. 

In  any  society  the  price  of  independence  and  power  is  labor 
and  responsibility.  Many  forerunners  of  the  woman's  move- 
ment saw  plainly  this  truth,  that  to  win  co-equal  independence 
they  must  likewise  enter  the  industries.  Too  many  failed  to 
perceive  the  whole  truth,  that  to  reach  such  independence, 
they  must  to  the  same  extent  as  men,  enter  the  industries,  win 
an  equal  share,  and  be  like  men,  responsible  for  its  expendi- 
ture. If  this  goal  cannot  be  reached  then  the  theory  of  sex 
equality  is  a  failure. 

(3)  Effect  on  Marriage. 

There  always  has  been  a  certain  caste  feeling,  a  social  bias 
against  employed  domestic  labor,  but  this  has  increased  when 
it  should  have  diminished ;  whereas  the  social  bias  that  existed 


OCCUPATIONS  OF  WOMEN  87 

against  women  entering  formerly  masculine  employments,  has 
been  willed  away,  and  such  employments  made  for  her  hon- 
orary, Inviting  and  a  raising  of  social  standard.  Women, 
who  are  and  always  have  been  a  far  more  potent  factor  in 
moulding  social  opinion  than  many  have  ever  dreamed  of, 
have  been  chiefly  Instrumental  In  this  change.  The  natural 
result  is  that  the  sensitive  and  suggestible  young  girl,  now  so 
easily  educated,  will  fly  from  domestic  work,  even  though  bet- 
ter remunerated,  more  suited  to  modesty  and  future  wife- 
hood, to  almost  any  other  calling,  and  amidst  all  dangers. 
Habituated  to  this  outside  mode  of  living  and  her  ambition 
and  tastes  directed  away  from  the  home  life,  she  becomes 
more  and  more  ill  suited  to  the  necessary  labor  and  economy 
it  requires,  while  a  possible  husband,  with  a  double  competi- 
tion both  male  and  female  about  him  and  an  ever  Increasing 
cost  of  subsistence  and  household  help,  may  love  but  fears 
to  venture;  or  If  a  venture  Is  made  the  foundation  for  thrift 
and  economy,  for  security  and  happiness,  is  not  good.  Now 
if  34  per  cent,  (see  Table  VIII)  of  the  professional  posi- 
tions are  filled  by  women,  and  they  say  they  must  have  their 
emoluments  for  self-support,  and  34  per  cent,  of  the  remain- 
ing positions  are  held  by  men  who  likewise  say  the  same,  then 
there  will  be  32  per  cent,  of  such  positions  remaining  for  men, 
their  wives  and  children,  and  If  the  latter  have  high  standards 
and  unfitness  for  the  practical  nourished  by  education,  dis- 
content and  failure  even  In  these  cases  Is  ominous. 

(4)  Good  Effects. 

In  almost  all  social  changes  there  Is  a  good  connected 
with  an  evil,  and  there  must  be  some  good  connected  with 
the  public  employment  of  women.  First,  It  benefits  the  men; 
It  relieves  them  from  labor  and  drudgery  and  affords  them 
more  leisure.  And  men  actually  need  this.  They  are  very 
defective  in  social  thinking.  In  many  cases  because  they  have 
been  so  much  Impelled  to  the  money  or  Industrial  end,  too 


88  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

tired  to  ply  the  intellect  at  anything  but  business.  But  society 
soon  becomes  wonted  to  any  industrial  condition  it  assumes, 
and  should  this  change  indefinitely  increase,  then  the  men 
would  be  relieved  from  all  labor,  and  like  the  savage  be  left 
only  to  hunt  and  fight  while  the  women  did  the  work. 

Likewise  women  have  been  strengthened  by  the  exposure 
and  exercise  of  public  employment;  their  intellect  has  been 
advanced  and  their  wits  sharpened.  At  the  same  time  it  seems 
true,  that  rich  emotion  lies  in  the  lap  of  leisure,  that  delicate 
feeling  is  driven  away  by  the  hard  lines  that  come  from  plot- 
ting means  to  ends,  that  the  sensibility  is  benumbed,  gives  way 
to  a  conniving  intellect  or  physical  appetite. 

Independence  is  accomplished  and  power  is  acquired,  but 
power  should  bring  with  it  responsibility,  not  only  for  your- 
self but  for  others.  If  the  men  for  so  long  have  divided  their 
earnings  with  others,  women  too  to  cope  with  them  must  do 
the  same.  Why  cannot  they  love  too  and  enjoy  the  luxury 
of  sacrifice  ?  Not  merely  endure  self-sacrifice  when  by  chance 
subjected,  but  boldly  and  knowingly  advance,  propose  and 
assume  the  risk  and  responsibility  in  the  first  instance,  not  wait 
for  men ! 

(5)  Effect  on  Chastity. 

Savages  and  the  lower  races,  as  well  as  the  civilized,  either 
by  a  vague  instinct  as  to  propriety,  or  by  natural  fitness,  or 
both,  have  in  their  developed  systems  different  employments 
for  the  sexes.  In  general,  in  polite  society  a  guard  rail 
between  the  sexes  has  been  constructed  of  rules,  etiquette  and 
manners,  the  ulterior  purpose  of  which,  it  will  be  seen  on  close 
observation,  is  the  protection  of  woman.  Attendance  by 
chaperons,  parental  care,  watchfulness  as  to  the  kind  of  com- 
pany for  young  women  and  the  restrictions  upon  both  men 
and  women,  are  only  examples  of  a  long  list  of  principles  of 
social  intercourse  that  have  been  developed  and  deemed 
necessary.     The  rules  of  etiquette  between  the  sexes  seem  to 


OCCUPATIONS  OF  WOMEN  89 

be  formed  with  the  idea  of  unlikeness,  with  a  sentiment  of  a 
special  superiority  in  the  other,  actually  felt  and  not  merely 
simulated,  as  politeness  otherwise  appears  to  be.  Always  is 
the  underlying  theory  that  the  gentlemen  and  ladies  are 
unlike,  and  each  respectively  entitled  to  the  special  deferences 
and  honors  paid,  and  each,  in  the  presence  of  the  other,  if 
comparatively  strangers,  feels  by  nature  a  spirit  of  chivalry, 
courtesy  or  respect. 

Now,  it  was  at  first  thought  that  all  this  etiquette  and  cul- 
ture could  be  carried  to  the  shop,  the  office,  the  polls,  and  the 
college  class  room,  and  there  in  like  manner  preserve  delicacy 
of  feeling  and  guard  against  indiscretion.  Instead  of  this,  how- 
ever, the  first  effect  of  this  promiscuous  intercourse  of  the  sexes 
there,  was  to  shock  the  sense  of  propriety,  not  merely  because 
it  was  new,  but  because  it  involved  a  contradiction.  For,  in 
these  public  places  of  work  and  business  the  ideal  is  likeness, 
equality,  competition  and  a  struggle,  and  these  latter  prin- 
ciples in  this  field  are  sure  to  prevail,  and  special  sex  defer- 
ence must  go  down.  The  sentiment  of  love  may  be  shut  out 
by  a  coat  of  mail  of  indifference,  but  the  constant  promptings 
of  nature  in  this  unlimited  exposure  of  the  sexes  in  industry 
among  the  single  and  where  marriages  are  infrequent  or 
despaired  of,  will  inevitably  tend  to  promiscuity,  though  labor 
of  itself  is  a  moral  and  deterrent  force.  Back  of  all  other 
chastening  and  renovating  forces,  and  more  potent  than  teach- 
ing or  preaching,  lies  the  family.  As  Ruskin  says,  "Love  is 
the  cure  for  lust." 

(6)  Evil  Effect  and  Cure. 

The  great  evil  effect  of  this  change  is  social  rather  than  a 
sex  or  individual  disadvantage.  It  seems  to  bar  the  way  for 
love,  marriage  and  the  home.  That  dream  of  amatory  bliss 
in  almost  every  youthful  heart,  that  you  cannot  drive  away, 
for  it  in  truth  points  to  a  reality,  seems  in  a  measure  to  be 
blighted,  embittered  or  turned  to  gall.     Virtue  thereby  loses 


90  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

her  chief  prop,  and  human  nature  finds  an  easy  sliding  scale 
to  free  and  lax  relations.  But  this  recent  condition  of  society, 
this  certain  misogamy  among  many  of  the  more  thoughtful 
young  men,  is  largely  due  to  the  transitional  period,  wherein 
by  law  and  custom  it  is  sought  to  hold  men  stiffly  to  all  the  old 
and  ever  increasing  marital  burdens,  while  prop  by  prop  their 
means  of  upstaying  them  are  knocked  from  under. 

Put  upon  woman  a  responsibility  in  proportion  to  her 
increasing  power,  and  give  young  men  a  fair  show  of  the 
marital  liberty  women  now  enjoy,  and  by  force  of  instinct  and 
love,  they  will  rush  as  ever  to  win  the  hearts  and  beg  the 
hands  of  maidens,  who  without  active  efforts  or  officious  plot- 
ting may  have  manifold  selections  as  heretofore,  even  without 
dowries  or  financial  aids. 

Society  like  the  body  always  has  a  natural  cure  for  its 
ills.  There  is  often  some  thorn  of  a  law  or  custom,  suited  to 
a  former  condition  but  now  a  poison,  that  must  be  eradicated, 
and  then  the  healing  powers  of  nature  will  supply  new  con- 
ditions to  adjust  almost  any  social  change. 

(7)  Power  and  Responsibility  Coextensive. 

The  ice  has  been  broken,  and  refined  woman  has  taken  a 
plunge  into  the  chilling  industrial  water,  and  must  now  in  a 
measure  become  hardened  and  swim.  It  is  not  easy  to  go 
back  when  the  economic  conditions  of  society  are  changed.  A 
new  generation  must  build  up  new  ideas  and  a  new  system. 
Let  women,  whether  married  or  single,  go  on  and  work  at 
almost  any  calling  they  please,  and  control  their  earnings 
until  they  become  weary.  If  they  do  not  choose  to  work 
within,  let  them  work  without  for  others,  only  in  that  case 
should  they  rely  for  support  upon  themselves.  They  should 
further  bear  in  mind  that,  as  they  set  in  motion  the  rushing 
waves  that  assume  the  occupations  of  men,  a  returning  under- 
tow of  custom  will  heap  upon  their  shoulders  more  and  more 
of  the  industrial  burdens.     It  is  very  true  that  the  family  and 


OCCUPATIONS  OF  WOMEN  91 

children  may  suffer,  but  liberty  is  a  precious  thing  in  this  coun- 
try, and  it  must  run  its  length.  Surely  the  right  woman  claims 
to  disburse  her  own  earnings,  she  will  not  deny  the  man,  nor 
further  conjure  up  a  false  ideal  of  men,  that  in  the  future  by 
law  or  social  force  they  will  give  up  that  natural  right.  That 
can  never  be.  Under  the  common  law  it  is  true  that  the 
wages  of  women  belonged  to  their  husbands,  but  then  men 
had  to  provide  and  be  responsible  for  them  as  for  children. 
Probably  no  one  would  think  of  reversing  that  condition. 

The  law  of  the  family  is  the  patriarchal  law,  and  authority 
is  the  necessary  condition  to  the  husband's  providing  care. 
That  authority  may  be  modified  even  to  extirpation,  but  with 
it,  in  equal  pace,  disappears  his  providing  responsibility.  To 
endeavor  to  enforce  the  latter  without  the  former  breaks  the 
very  mainspring  of  conjugal  possibility.  No  man,  or  no 
woman,  in  sober  senses  will  undertake  or  continue  the  care 
and  financial  responsibility  of  a  home  without  a  correspond- 
ing control,  nor  will  they  be  apt  to  assume  that  responsibility 
when  they  believe  the  other  party  is  quite  as  able.  But  in  the 
end  it  will  be  found,  that  there  is  but  one  sovereign  remedy 
for  all  the  ills  and  immoralities,  the  heartaches,  bitter  disap- 
pointments and  black  despair,  that  the  indiscriminate  strug- 
gle of  sex  with  sex  in  the  industrial  conflict  will  bring  to 
light:  that  remedy  is  the  almost  miraculous  union  of  two 
hearts  with  a  common  feeling,  as  of  one,  begotten  by  love  in 
the  home. 

REFERENCES. 
Twelfth  census  United  States,   1900. 
Population  Vol.  II,  as  to  occupations. 

NOTE. 

This  entire  work  has  been  written  from  the  point  of  view  of  presenting  the  social 
end  or  purpose,  rather  than  the  personal  advantage  of  any  particular  individual. 
This  view  especially  applies  to  this  chapter.  Each  individual  woman  however,  should 
be  free  to  consider  her  own  interest  in  selecting  a  life  work.  But  society  for  its  inter- 
est should  adopt  in  its  tone,  conversation  and  opinion,  the  general  or  social  end  or 
advantage.  It  is  this  general  tone  and  opinion  of  society  that  creates  the  social  atmo- 
sphere, which  in  its  turn  makes  and  aflfects  individual  interest.  For  instance,  the 
chief  reason  why  ladies  find  such  difficulty  in  procuring  domestic  help,  is  that  their 
social  opinion  has  made  it  degrading  as  compared  with  other  and  outside  employ- 
ments, and  hence  against  the  interests  of  the  employed.  This  social  atmosphere  which 
may  constantly  change,  is  the  most  powerful  of  voluntary  social  forces,  and  it  is  to 
a  large  extent  created  and  affected  by  women. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
Economic  Freedom. 
( I )  Family,  an  Economic  Society. 

IN  order  to  understand  definitely  the  meaning  of  eco- 
nomic freedom  In  the  family,  it  is  necessary  to  look 
upon  the  latter  solely  as  an  economic  institution,  to 
abstract  from  it  all  the  mere  sexual  relations,  and 
the  elements  founded  upon  love,  and  regard  simply 
its  economic  structure.  In  this  respect  the  family,  founded 
upon  the  fact  that  the  human,  unlike  the  animal  young,  need 
for  nurture  the  assistance  and  superior  protection  of  the 
father,  arises  as  an  economic  society  based  upon  the  essential 
principles: — ist,  that  this  society  shall  be  efficient  and  per- 
manent, and  therefore  have  a  system  of  permanent  govern- 
ment and  unity;  2nd,  that  the  father  shall  assume  the  burden 
and  responsibility  of  protection  and  of  providing;  3rd,  that 
the  natural  right  of  property  in  things,  that  is  to  control  the 
product  of  your  labor,  shall  remain  inviolate.  Now  these 
principles  must  be  abstracted  and  be  the  basis  of  reason 
entirely  separate  from  the  element  of  love,  for  to  constantly 
infuse  and  think  from  the  latter  alone  is  sentimental  thinking, 
and  that  confuses  the  whole  question. 

As  to  the  first  principle,  all  groups  or  organizations  to  have 
strength  and  continuance  must  have  a  single  head,  either  one 
person  or  the  majority  of  several  acting  as  one.  In  voluntary 
societies,  there  is  the  freedom  of  members  to  unite  or  dis- 
unite at  pleasure.  In  business  partnership,  there  is  the  same 
privilege  to  sever  the  relation  at  any  time  by  law.  In  the 
political  society,  there  is  no  opportunity  of  severance  except 


ECONOMIC  FREEDOM  93 


by  emigration,  and  so  within  such  society  there  must  exist 
coercion  in  its  head.  In  the  ordinary  industrial  group  sever- 
ance may  take  place  at  any  time. 

(2)  Its  Unity. 

Absolute  permanence  in  the  economic  family  then  would 
seem  to  be  well  nigh  an  impossibility,  but  would  be  more 
nearly  reached  by  a  head  possessing  coercion,  and  having  an 
Interest  to  maintain  the  family,  and  itself  perhaps  when  neces- 
sary coerced  to  do  so  by  a  higher  authority.  Now  in  a  democ- 
racy where  the  role  is  so  much  freedom,  it  will  be  readily 
seen,  that  more  and  more  there  is  a  tendency  to  voluntary 
action  and  a  voluntary^  society  in  the  family,  and  as  that 
increases,  so  also  will  grow  the  tendency  to  break  away,  to 
withdraw,  to  separation  and  divorce.  The  bonds  to  prevent 
this  are  the  moral  and  religious  sentiment  of  adhesion,  of  the 
horror  of  separation,  the  tie  of  children,  the  unity  in  property 
rights,  and  also  whatever  obstacles  the  law  founded  upon  this 
sentiment  and  these  forces  may  Interpose.  But  while  and  in 
so  far  as  this  society  lasts,  there  must  be  unity,  there  must  be 
a  head,  and  a  disbelief  in  such  unity  or  headship  constantly 
tends  to  break  up  the  organization.  Likewise,  in  so  far  as  the 
law  by  its  operation  tends  to  destroy  the  authority  of  the 
head,  not  merely  to  limit  It  to  justice,  it  undermines  family 
unity  and  permanency.  If  religious  belief  in  permanency 
weakens  or  disappears  a  mainstay  is  gone.  More  than  any 
other  organization  is  this  family  a  constant  and  pervading 
one,  its  members  being  more  intimately  and  perpetually  asso- 
ciated in  living,  in  action  and  In  work,  without  a  supposed 
change,  relief  or  outlet;  it,  therefore,  requires  greater  unity, 
greater  concentration  of  direction  and  power  than  any  other. 
It  Is  evident  that  all  social  theories  that  tend  to  break  up  the 
elements  that  constitute  this  unity,  lead  to  family  destruction. 


94  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(3)   Coextensive  Responsibility. 

The  second  principle  that  the  husband  or  father  shall 
assume  the  responsibility  involves  a  psychologic  and  absolute 
truism,  that  to  do  so  he  must  control ;  otherwise  responsibility 
is  not  responsibility,  and  power  to  act  is  denied  where  blame 
is  imputed.  But  this  exclusive  burden  of  protection  and  pro- 
viding need  not  necessarily  be  in  the  husband.  It  may  be 
assumed  by  the  wife,  or  shared  equally  by  both  or  assumed 
by  neither  so  far  as  the  other  is  concerned.  It  may  be  a 
matter  of  daily  changing  contract  and  agreement,  without 
any  interference  of  law  except  to  compel  the  adhesion  to  such 
contracts.  Here  would  be  a  case  of  equal  economic  freedom, 
and  the  only  possibility  of  such  freedom  in  the  family.  But 
any  attempt  by  either  party  to  break  the  law,  that  he  who  is 
responsible  must  control,  begins  the  destruction  of  the  family 
at  its  very  root,  as  of  course  it  would  destroy  any  society.  A 
system  of  jurisprudence  also  that  has  that  effect  works  for 
family  disintegration.  Society  or  the  law  may  encourage  a 
greater  independence  to  wives  and  children,  but  in  so  doing 
it  must  impose  a  coextensi\'e  responsibility.  There  is  no  limit 
to  woman's  rights  in  this  respect  if  she  will  assume  and  can 
endure  the  burden,  responsibility  and  labor  of  such  sover- 
eignty. If  alone  she  could  provide  for  the  family,  as  in  ani- 
mal life,  would  she  not  be  by  nature  its  rightful  absolute  sov- 
ereign ? 

Also  the  law  of  responsibility  is  imperious  and  absolute  and 
brooks  no  exception.  You  can  impose  no  task  upon  any  work- 
man, or  even  child,  and  make  them  answer  without  their  hav- 
ing a  corresponding  power.  Much  more  in  the  family,  where 
there  have  always  been  spheres,  a  diversity  and  division  of 
labor,  must  there  be  fields  of  responsibility  and  with  it  accom- 
panying power.  The  "keeping"  of  the  provider  would  only 
carry  power  sufficient  for  its  execution.  If  we  could  pry  into 
the  labyrinthine  secrets  and  farthest  inmost  shrines  of  homes 


ECONOMIC  FREEDOM  95 


everywhere,   from  lowliest  circle   to   the   highest   caste,   we 
should  find  dominion  centered  about  the  loaf;  the  stately  lord 
its  guardian  without,  but  in  the  inner  sanctuary,  the  lady  is 
and  has  been  the  mistress  and  priestess  of  the  household. 
(4)    Right  to  Property. 

The  right  to  property  and  the  underlying  sentiment  that 
supports  it,  are  fundamental  to  the  whole  economic  structure 
and  civilization.  In  industrial  activities,  however  much  you 
may  limit  and  remould  property  rights  and  thereby  reach  a 
better  conception  of  what  the  right  of  property  is,  yet,  to 
destroy  that  right  or  not  to  support  it  by  law  menaces  the 
whole  industrial  system. 

The  socialists  as,  Morris,  Engels,  Gronlund  and  Owen,  cor- 
rectly see  that  the  present  family  system  and  the  industrial 
system  are  interwoven  together,  and  they  advocate  the  aboli- 
tion of  both. 

Granting  to  every  one  the  right  to  control  the  product  of 
his  labor  as  property,  a  right  now  given  to  married  women, 
and  only  ever  withheld  from  them  on  the  ground  that  the 
party  who  received  such  product  was  wholly  responsible  for 
their  needs,  that  right  of  property  can  certainly  not  be 
taken  away  from  men,  but  that  right  as  shown  by  John  R. 
Commons*  means  sovereignty,  and  private  coercion  by  the 
"privative  sanctions"  existing  by  the  use  of  property.  A 
right  of  property  over  things  effects  a  control  over  per- 
sons, as  is  well  known  in  the  industrial  world.  As  in  the  lat- 
ter case,  the  law  may  be  reformed,  and  better  conceptions  of 
ultimate  rights  reached  in  family  relations,  but  the  main  prin- 
ciple of  the  property  right  cannot  be  destroyed  in  the  family 
without  destroying  the  whole  family  system. 

Thus  the  single  right  to  control  his  property  and  labor,  so 
long  as  he  provides  for  the  family,  still  leaves  in  the  husband 
an  ascendency  by  economic  control.     That  control  is  funda- 


•A  Sociological  view  of  Sovereignty  in  the  Sociological  Journal  Sept.  1899.     P.  160. 


96  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

mental,  and  it  would  seem  that  the  sanction  of  the  right  of 
property  suffices  for  authority  while  the  marriage  continues; 
but  where  there  is  love,  there  is  no  clamor  for  authority  or 
power  for  its  own  sake.  Rather  is  mere  power  deemed  an 
empty  gewgaw,  gladly  disposed  of  for  relief  from  care,  or  as 
one  of  the  toy  gifts  out  of  the  treasures,  true  love  is  ever 
ready  to  bestow. 

(5)  Economic  Freedom  a  Dream. 

There  is  to-day  among  every  class  of  people  in  this  coun- 
try a  vague  restless  dream  of  economic  freedom,  to  escape  all 
control  in  the  world  of  industrial  activity.  This  dream  is  the 
vision  of  a  rainbow,  which  when  you  reach,  all  its  hues  and 
beauties  turn  to  mist.  It  leads  persons  to  rush  into  socialism 
for  a  refuge  where,  alas,  all  economic  freedom  is  absorbed 
and  gone !  In  the  family  it  leads  the  dependent  members,  for- 
getting that  "providing"  is  impossible  without  obedience,  to 
dispute  the  authority  of  its  head;  among  employees,  to  dis- 
pute the  authority  of  the  employer. 

There  is  in  fact  no  position  in  organized  society  for  the 
exercise  of  this  notion  of  absolute  economic  freedom,  unless  it 
be  confined  to  one  in  the  absolute  despotism  of  a  government. 
All  persons  are  economically  dependent.  The  far  greater 
part  of  industrial  workers  are  in  subjection  to  a  head;  the 
officials  to  the  central  heads,  and  they  to  the  people.  The 
business  man  is  dependent  upon  his  customers,  the  profes- 
sional man  upon  his  clientage,  the  employer  upon  the  intri- 
casies  of  labor  unions.  All  are  bound  in  the  network  of  indus- 
trial society  and  must  obey  somebody,  and  when  the  position 
of  authority  is  reached  it  carries  burdens  and  anxieties  for 
which  its  powers  scarcely  compensate. 

Only  in  the  family  is  there  an  effulgence  of  love  that  buries 
and  conceals  the  biting  tooth  of  domination  that  elsewhere 
wounds  pride  and  honor.     Here  also  duties  spring  up  that 


ECONOMIC  FREEDOM  97 

impose  responsibilities,  whose  exercise  imply  authority  and 
will  afford  to  haughty  human  nature  satisfaction  in  its  pride 
for  power. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Matrlmonlai  Laws. 
( I )  Contract  of  Marriage. 

WHATEVER  defects  or  harshness  to  women 
may  hav-e  existed  in  the  matrimonial  rela- 
tions under  the  common  law,  the  latter  was 
certainly  consistent.  Its  central  idea  was 
unity.  The  husband  was  in  fact  head. 
Since  the  wife  must  be  maintained  by  him  in  like  station  with 
himself,  her  former  personal  property,  the  use  of  her  real 
estate,  and  her  personal  earnings  belonged  to  him.  Since  he 
was  responsible  for  her,  even  for  her  torts,  he  must  have  per- 
sonal control.  Since  she  was  supported  as  a  minor  child,  she 
had  no  necessity  to  contract.  Since  the  marriage  was  indissol- 
uble in  theory,  in  case  of  an  actual  separation  being  divested 
of  her  property  and  power  of  earning,  she  would  have  been 
destitute  without  some  means  of  living,  and  hence  arose  a 
peculiar  remedy  in  cases  of  his  fault,  known  as  alimony. 

The  fundamental  implied  mutual  covenants  of  marriage 
are  as  follows:  ist,  to  observe  fidelity;  2nd,  to  preserve  the 
continuity  of  the  marriage;  3rd,  on  the  husband's  part  to  sup- 
port, and  on  the  wife's  part  to  render  to  him  her  personal 
services  <  4th,  on  the  husband's  part  to  protect,  keep  and  be 
responsible  for,  on  the  wife's  part  with  like  extent,  to 
acquiesce  or  obey.  In  all  other  contracts  known  to  the  law, 
where  there  are  mutual  covenants  and  one  party  breaks  his 
covenant,  the  law,  if  it  affords  a  remedy,  gives  damages  or 
allows  specific  performance,  but  never  compels  a  specific  con- 
tinuing payment  or  performance  of  the  covenant  on  the  one 


THE  MATRIMONIAL  LAWS  99 

side,  while  releasing  the  other  party  from  the  performance 
of  his  mutual  covenant  on  the  other,  as  to  compel  continuously 
the  support  of  a  wife  without  her  services.  Such  a  remedy  in 
other  contracts,  as  to  be  compelled  to  pay  rent  or  wages  with- 
out house  or  labor,  would  be  deemed  intolerable.  Rarely 
under  the  common  law  was  this  severest  of  remedies  applied, 
and  the  ground  for  its  institution  was  its  necessity,  the  help- 
lessness of  the  wife,  who  had  been  divested  by  marriage  of 
her  property  and  personal  rights,  and  at  that  time  was  in  fact 
incapable  of  self-support. 

(2)  Husband's  Rights. 

The  husband,  however,  had  every  power  necessary  to  pre- 
serve his  rights: — the  power  to  preserve  fidelity,  by  personal 
control,  or  casting  her  off  in  destitution;  to  preserve  con- 
tinuity by  withholding  her  in  his  house,  or  if  she  escaped,  by 
a  suit  for  the  restitution  of  conjugal  rights;  and  to  enforce 
services  and  obedience  by  personal  compulsion,  physical  if 
necessary.  Divorces  were  not  allowed,  and  separations  so 
rare  as  to  cut  little  figure.  Probably  nothing  in  history  is 
more  remarkable  than  the  evolution  of  this  law  of  marriage.* 
The  disabilities  of  the  wife  in  this  state  and  much  the  same 
in  others  have  practically  all  been  abrogated,  and  nearly  all 
of  the  burdens  of  the  husband  remain,  some  of  them  greatly 
increased,  as  the  enormous  multiplication  of  cases  of  alimony, 
until  by  some  it  is  claimed  he  has  no  rights  left  whatever. 
Now  a  legal  right  in  law  must  have  a  legal  positive  remedy, 
as  recovery  of  goods,  damages,  or  specific  performance.  A 
decree  of  court  setting  forth,  that  since  the  other  party  has 
failed  to  perform  his  mutual  covenant,  you  need  not  perform 
yours,  can  hardly  be  called  a  remedy,  but  is  merely  what 


*"The  question  of  woman's  rights  is  passing  through  a  phase  which  an  age  sociolog- 
ically mature  will  look  upon  as  the  most   incomprehensible  confusion  of  humanity." 

Gustav  Ratzenhofer,  in  a  paper  on  The  Problems  of  Sociology,  before  the  St. 
Louis  Congress  of  Arts  and  Science,  1904. 


loo  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

might  be  termed  a  defensive  remedy,  available  for  defense. 
The  right  to  self-defense  without  a  right  of  action  for  assault, 
does  not  afford  a  legal  remedy.  A  decree  of  separation  then 
does  not  furnish  the  husband  with  a  legal  remedy,  as  he  gains 
nothing  by  it  except  a  decree  of  court,  nor  is  a  decree  of 
divorce  any  better  as  against  the  other  party,  for  the  right  to 
remarry  only  concerns  the  state.  A  judgment  of  separation 
or  divorce  simply  enables  him  to  return  in  statu  quo,  as  he  was 
before  marriage.  The  suit  for  restitution  of  conjugal  rights 
has  been  abolished,  although  the  same  right  in  substance  is 
retained  in  her  favor  in  the  proceedings  in  police  courts 
against  him,  as  a  disorderly  person  for  abandoning  his  wife. 

(3)  Presumption  as  to  Husband's  Superiority. 

The  husband's  rights  in  his  wife's  property  have  been  abol- 
ished; for  the  empty  courtesy  that  remains,  removable  at  her 
pleasure,  cannot  be  counted,  while  her  dower  right  stands 
unaffected  in  any  case  except  in  divorce  for  her  adultery.* 
He  may  have  suits  against  others  for  infringement  of  his 
rights,  but  no  positive  remedies  against  her,  as  wife,  either  by 
law,  or  by  his  own  act.  In  ordinary  suits  in  this  state  the 
costs  on  one  side  of  a  case  are  often  enough  to  break  down  a 
litigant,  but  in  actions  of  divorce  or  separation,  he  is  pre- 
sumed to  bear  the  costs,  including  attorneys  fees,  on  both 
sides,  whether  plaintiff  or  defendant,  and  to  support  the  other 
party  outside  of  his  home,  while  the  process  of  home  wreck- 
age is  proceeding,  often  continuing  by  the  delay  of  courts  in 
cities  for  years.  If  successful  as  plaintiff,  he  may  return,  in 
divorce  to  the  condition  before  marriage,  and  in  separation  to 
a  freedom  from  further  obligations.  If  successful  as  defen- 
dant he  still  has  his  wife,  which  he  still  must  keep  if  she  will, 
though  his  fortune  be  wasted  by  litigation;  but  if  unsuccess- 
ful, which  is  very  apt  to  be  the  case,  for  most  of  the  cases 


•New  York  State. 


THE  MATRIMONIAL  LAWS  loi 

seem  to  be  tried  on  the  theory  of  equality  with  a  bias  against 
him,  he  is  doomed  to  a  kind  of  servitude;  that  is,  he  must 
support  another  now  his  enemy  for  their  joint  lives,*  though 
deprived  of  her  services  and  society,  often  taking  one-half  of 
his  possible  income,  and  upon  his  failure  so  to  do  is  consigned 
to  prison.  The  simple  statement  of  these  principles  of  the 
law  is  enough  to  show,  in  the  light  of  modern  society  in  Amer- 
ica and  the  relative  ability  of  woman,  what  a  rash  presump- 
tion, what  a  vast  over-estimation  there  is  made,  as  to  the  abil- 
ities of  man!  No  where  in  history  has  a  greater  extrava- 
gance been  made  as  to  his  superiority  over  woman,  than  that 
he  is  able  to  endure  all  this  disparity.  (See  note  at  end  of 
chapter) . 

(4) Legal  Right  to  Free  Love. 

To  form  a  clear  idea  of  the  marriage  relation,  the  right 
to  remarry  in  case  of  divorce,  and  the  mutual  covenants  and 
obligations  between  the  parties,  should  be  separated  in  con- 
ception. The  right  to  remarry  concerns  the  state  and  society 
alone,  and  where  a  permanent  separation  is  allowed,  that 
right  cannot  be  said  to  materially  affect  the  other  party.  Now 
considering  marriage  from  the  standpoint  of  the  interests  and 
obligations  of  the  parties,  and  leaving  out  the  question  of 
remarriage,  women  to-day  in  New  York,  and  largely  in  other 
states,  have  the  legal  right  of  free  love,  or  free  marriage,  or 
free  separation,  that  is,  they  can  put  away  their  husband  at 
any  time  without  cause,  take  their  property  and  have  all  the 
rights  so  far  as  he  is  concerned  as  before  marriage,  without 
any  suit  or  act  of  the  law  whatever.  A  suit  for  separation  by 
her  could  have  no  motive  except  to  acquire  a  separate  sup- 
port, or  a  portion  of  his  property,  and  a  suit  for  divorce 
would  have  the  same  motive  with  the  addition,  to  be  able  to 
remarry.     He,  of  course,  is  bound  by  a  penalty  for  breach 


tSee  Wilson  v.  Hinman,  99  App.  Div.  41  (N.   Y.)   holding  that  alimony  may  con- 
tinue against  the  deceased  husband's  estate 


I02  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

more  severe  than  is  known  in  any  other  contract,  that  is,  to 
perform  a  continuing  covenant,  as  alimony  on  his  side,  while 
she  is  released  from  her  covenant  of  services  and  society,  on 
the  other.  In  other  words  here  the  rights  of  husband  and 
wife,  as  compared  with  most  countries  outside  of  Christen- 
dom, appear  to  be  reversed,  and  it  might  seem  that  a  terrible 
Nemesis  has  arisen,  to  avenge  the  weaker  sex  for  the  wrongs 
it  may  have  suffered  in  the  past. 

(5)  Community  Property. 

The  matrimonial  law  both  in  England  and  on  the  Con- 
tinent arose  from  the  canon  or  ecclesiastical  law,  but  it 
started  in  each  place  on  a  different  foundation  in  a  most 
important  particular.  In  England  the  personality  of  the  wife 
was  absorbed  in  the  husband;  on  the  Continent  her  person- 
ality and  right  of  property  were  preserved,  and  generally 
speaking,  the  property  acquired  by  both  during  marriage  was 
deemed  in  common.  There  was  a  community,  or  quasi  part- 
nership with  the  husband  as  head  and  having  control.  Of  all 
the  theories  and  actual  societies  in  history,  known  as  com- 
munistic, the  family  is  and  has  been  essentially  the  only  per- 
manent, successful  and  necessary  one.  On  the  woman's  side,  it 
will  be  readily  seen  that  in  the  case  of  a  permanent  marriage, 
where  all  her  time,  attention  and  services  are  devoted  to  the 
family,  her  final  pecuniary  reward,  her  gain,  can  only  be 
in  some  right  in  the  common  property.  That  she  is  human 
and  capable  of  economic  ambition,  her  present  career,  if  not 
her  common  human  nature  proves.  Merely  temporary  inter- 
est will  only  suffice  for  children.  An  adult  looks  towards  the 
future,  considers  rights  and  is  sensitive  to  justice.  Under 
the  community  system  one-half  of  the  property  acquired  dur- 
ing the  marriage  is  deemed  the  wife's,  and  though  controlled 
by  the  husband  during  his  life,  at  his  death  it  falls  to  her 
with  or  without  his  will,  and  in  some  of  the  systems  as  the 
law   of  Quebec,    in   case   of   her   previous   death,    her   half 


THE  MATRIMONIAL  LAWS  103 

descends  to  her  heirs.  In  case  of  separation  or  divorce,  it  will 
readily  be  seen,  that  under  this  view  of  the  just  rights  of  the 
parties,  aside  from  the  faults  of  either,  the  common  property 
would  in  justice  be  divided.  If  this  be  called  alimony,  ali- 
mony then  would  be  amply  justified,  even  though  it  were 
money  furnished  by  the  husband  before  trial  to  carry  on  the 
suit,  providing  such  funds  came  from  property  acquired  in 
common. 

(6)  Basis  of  the  Wife's  Rights. 

The  foundation  of  a  married  woman's  property  rights 
should  follow  the  economic  law,  and  should  be  based  upon 
her  actual  earnings  in  the  birth  and  rearing  of  children,  in 
household  service,  superintendence  and  economy,  whereby 
the  common  property  is  so  largely  accumulated.  The  mere 
fact  of  a  contract  or  status  of  marriage,  though  entitling 
her  to  damages  for  its  breach,  is  not  the  chief  ground  in  rea- 
son for  her  rights. 

Under  the  laws  of  New  York  to-day  a  wife  may  have 
labored  all  her  life  in  helping  to  accumulate  the  property 
held  by  her  husband,  and  if  personal  property,  he  may  prac- 
tically bequeath  it  all  away,  or  if  real  property,  she  is  limited 
to  dower  or  the  use  of  one-third  for  life,  unless  by  his  testa- 
ment he  gives  her  a  greater  portion,*  In  case  of  intestacy  she 
is  fairly  treated  as  to  personal  property,  but  as  to  real  estate 
she  is  in  all  cases  limited  to  dower.  The  states  of  Texas, 
Louisiana  and  California  have  largely  the  community  system 
taken  from  France  and  Spain,  while  many  of  the  western 
states  have  essentially  modified  the  rules  of  descent,  and  in 
cases  of  separation  have  largely  based  the  wife's  rights  upon 
this  property  acquired  in  common.  The  legal  rights  of  a 
married  woman  in  this  state  are  not  different,  whether  she 
has  been  married  and  labored  for  a  life  time  or  a  day.     It 


*It  is  worthy  of  notice  how  rarely  this  right  of  testacy  has  been  abused. 


I04  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

is  evident  that  this  feature  of  the  law  makes  marriage  mer- 
cenary and  works  great  injustice.* 

All  the  rigorous  laws  made  for  her  protection,  which  in 
case  of  family  disruptions  may  in  short  and  recent  marriages 
impair  the  husband's  security,  or  destroy  his  necessary  head- 
ship in  the  family,  or  terrify  the  young  man  from  entering 
that  relation,  are  still  insufficient  to  protect  the  rights  of  the 
matron,  who  has  devoted  her  life  to  the  common  children  and 
to  make  and  save  the  common  fortune.  But  in  this  latter  case 
divorce  or  separation  seldom  occurs. 

(7)  Confusion  in  the  Law. 

Just  as  was  said  in  the  evolution  of  equality,  how  an  idea 
moves  down  through  history  as  an  unchangeable  universal 
proposition,  becoming  more  and  more  crystallized  and 
extended  by  dissemination  and  inveterate  logic,  while 
society  is  all  the  while  changing,  so  the  first  ideas 
started  in  the  law,  as  of  the  marital  relations,  being  made  fast 
and  immovable  by  the  principle  of  stare  decisis,  and  thus  bind- 
ing the  courts,  who  thereby  act  from  memory  and  verbal  logic 
rather  than  from  reason,  become  wholly  inapplicable  to  pres- 
ent conditions.  New  statutes,  which  are  too  often  one  sided 
and  the  hasty  work  of  unthinking  legislatures,  may  afford  par- 
tial remedies,  but  probably  much  better  would  be  a  more  inde- 
pendent equity  jurisdiction,  largely  unfettered  by  past  deci- 
sions, that  would  make  the  law  meet  the  demands  of  a  present 
living  society.  Law  schools,  as  in  times  past,  studying  the 
law  theoretically  and  from  principle  rather  than  from  mere 
precedent,  would  be  of  great  advantage.  At  least  the  pres- 
ent matrimonial  law  seems  to  be  in  a  great  medley.  The  end 
should  be  not  to  favor  husbands  or  wives  as  such,  but  to 
uphold  and  promote  the  encouragement  and  perpetuity  of 


•There  should  be  a  reward  for  labor,  service  and  duty  in  the  marriage  relation, 
not  merely  for  the  skill  to  captivate  by  wiles,  or  perhaps  deceitfully  to  make  a  sharp 
bargain. 


THE  MATRIMONIAL  LAWS  105 

the  family.  For  that  purpose  the  family  state  should  as  far 
as  possible  be  made,  not  terrifying,  but  inviting;  nor  fur- 
nishing a  prospect  of  legal  struggles  and  financial  ruin,  but 
of  permanence,  of  economic  success,  of  contentment  and  hap- 
piness. The  courts  should  not  afford  encouragement  or  a 
prospective  reward  for  the  party  plaintiff  who  seeks  to  break 
up  a  home.  It  seldom  does  good  to  enslave  one  of  the  par- 
ties under  the  principle  of  permanent  alimony,  for  marriages 
that  have  existed  but  a  short  time;  and  such  cases  are  fast 
creating  among  many  of  the  most  prudent  of  the  unwedded 
a  sense  of  horror  at  the  very  institution. 

NOTE. 

The  laws  presented  fn  this  chapter  are  those  of  the  State  of  New  York,  but  they 
are  substantially  the  same  In  other  states,  if  we  except  those  where  the  Spanish  or 
French  gained  a  foothold,  as  In  Louisiana,  Texas,  New  Mexico  and  California. 
Generally  in  all  the  states,  married  women  have  the  same  right  and  control  over 
their  personal  earnings  outside  of  services  to  the  family,  and  over  their  separate 
property  both  real  and  personal,  as  when  single,  except  that  their  real  estate  is  in 
most  cases  subject  to  courtesy  or  its  equivalent,  as  the  husbands  real  estate  la  to 
dower;  but  the  husband's  right  of  curtesy  in  the  State  of  New  York  may  be  di- 
vested at  any  time  by  the  wife's  conveyance  or  devise.  The  provisions  as  to  ali- 
mony both  before  and  after  the  decree  are  general,  although  in  some  of  the  states,  aa 
tn  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont  and  Iowa,  alimony  may  be  granted  on 
both  sides.  In  New  York,  divorce  is  limited  to  adultery,  and  separation  only  allowed 
for  cruelty,  unsafe  conduct,  desertion,  and  non-support;  while  in  most  states  these 
latter  are  also  grounds  of  divorce,  with  many  others.  It  is  impossible,  and  would  be 
useless  for  a  work  of  this  character  to  specialize,  but  the  general  principle  is  the 
same.  In  all  cases  the  husband  is  bound  to  provide  for  the  wife,  but  by  a  recent 
statute  In  Illinois,  the  wife  is  also  made  liable  for  family  necessities.  The  older 
and  more  eastern  states  generally  enforce  alimony  by  periodic  mostly  monthly  pay- 
ments, while  in  the  farther  west  the  tendency  is  rather  to  divide  the  property.  Per- 
kaps   there   is   more   severity   against   the   husband   In  New  York  than  in  other  states. 

REFERENCES. 

Bishop  on  Marriage  and  Divorce. 
Bullock  on  Husband  and  Wife. 

Tyler  on  Infancy  and  Coverture,  and  the  General  Laws  of  the  Domestic  Relations 
in  New   York. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Separation  and  Divorce. 
( I )  Remarriage. 

THERE  lingers  still  in  many  minds  the  notion, 
that  the  law  is  the  sole  factor  or  indispensable 
to  preserve  private  morals;  such  morals  as  do 
not  relate  to  the  violation  of  the  rights  of 
another  unwilling,  but  to  ill  conduct  mutually 
voluntary  among  those  concerned.  Generally  speaking,  the 
law  is  to  protect  from  a  forceful  aggression  upon  rights,  while 
religion,  public  opinion  and  the  other  forces  of  society  are 
to  preserve  private  moral  character.  So  there  exists  with 
many  the  idea  that  the  prevention  by  law  of  remarriage  of  the 
divorced  or  separated,  is  the  central  remedy  to  preserve  per- 
manence in  conjugal  relations,  and  to  check  the  evil  of 
divorce.  Now  it  is  true  that  divorce  grovv^s  by  what  it  feeds 
on,  that  if  no  decrees  of  divorce  were  allowed,  there  simply 
would  not  be  such,  and  remarried  couples  of  the  divorced 
would  not  be  scattered  through  the  community,  and  thereby 
lower  the  social  tone  of  a  sacred  permanent  marriage  rela- 
tion. But  the  above  is  only  a  part  of  the  condition.  The 
question  rather  is,  the  parties  having  actually  and  perman- 
ently separated,  there  being  a  divorce  in  fact,  which  is  worse 
upon  public  moral  sentiment,  the  remarriage  of  the  divorced, 
or  concubinage  and  promiscuity?  For  the  latter  also  grows 
by  usage,  wont  and  custom,  until  a  social  atmosphere 
is  created  that  well  nigh  overlooks  the  enormity  of  free  love, 
as  has  repeatedly  been  the  case  in  European  and  other  coun- 
tries where  divorces  are  entirely  prohibited.    The  church  may 


SEPARATION  AND  DIVORCE  107 

be  justified  in  discountenancing  remarriage  among  its  mem- 
bers, but  that  does  not  imply  that  it  should  insist  that  remar- 
riage of  the  divorced  or  separated  should,  in  all  cases,  be  for- 
bidden by  law.  So  far  as  the  law  is  concerned  it  is  not  the 
allowance  of  remarriage  that  is  so  significant,  but  the  fact  that 
law  actually  encourages  divorces  and  separations.  The  chief 
and  underlying  causes  of  divorce  do  not,  however,  spring 
from  the  law  at  all,  but  rather  from  the  condition  of  society. 

(2)  Horror  of  Separation. 

Freedom  of  divorce  in  the  law  existed  in  the  Roman 
Empire  during  the  whole  rise  and  spread  of  Christianity. 
"Voluntary  divorces  were  abolished  by  one  of  the  novels  of 
Justinian,  but  they  were  afterward  revived  by  another  novel 
of  the  Emperor  Justin."  The  liberty  of  divorce  continued  in 
the  Eastern  Empire  until  it  was  finally  subdued  by  the  power 
of  Christianity.*  It  does  not  appear  that  the  early  Chris- 
tians suffered  from  lax  marital  relations  by  reason  of  law,  nor 
that  they  found  it  necessary  even  for  centuries  after  their  con- 
trol of  government,  to  rely  upon  the  law  to  preserve  the  per- 
manent family.  That  preserving  power  was  rather  a  universal 
sentiment  among  them,  the  product  of  their  faith,  that  pro- 
duced a  horror  of  separation  to  which  the  horror  of  remar- 
riage was  only  secondary.  The  "putting  away"  of  husband 
or  wife  is  the  chief  wrong,  the  beginning  of  all  the  evil.  If 
the  religious  consciousness  cannot  stop  that,  it  is  of  little  avail 
to  appeal  to  law.  Indeed  to-day  in  this  state  and  elsewhere, 
it  is  this  religious  consciousness  and  the  moral  convictions  of 
women,  that  with  love  constitute  the  main  protection  men 
have  as  to  the  permanency  of  their  wives,  and  they  do  not  find 
quite  yet  an  avalanche  of  run  away  and  eloping  partners. 
Permanent  separations  decreed  by  law  are  in  many  respects 
worse  than  divorces;    for  they  are  often  granted  on  trivial 


•Tyler  on  Infancy  and   Corerture,  P.   87J. 


io8  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

causes,  and  on  the  presumption  that  something  of  the  mar- 
riage exists,  when  in  fact  nothing  exists;  and  where  one  party 
is  enslav^ed  by  the  theory  of  alimony  to  another,  until  a  pub- 
lic sentiment  against  marriage  itself  is  created.  Temporary 
separation,  however,  for  a  limited  time  would  be  quite  differ- 
ent.* 

(3)   Temporary  Alimony. 

Temporary  alimony  and  counsel  fees  are  allowed  to  the 
plaintiff  wife  from  the  husband  to  begin  and  carry  on  divorce 
and  separation  suits,  the  amount  and  propriety  of  which  are 
determined  from  affidavits  privately  drawn  by  astute  lawyers. 
Now  if  the  husband  holds  community  property,  earned  and 
accumulated  by  both  during  the  marriage,  this  is  just  enough 
irrespective  of  the  special  merits  of  either  party;  but  other- 
wise and  especially  if  this  fund  comes  from  his  daily  earn- 
ings, when  she  has  raised  the  presumption  that  the  marriage 
should  no  longer  exist,  why  is  he  guilty  before  he  is  tried? 
Even  a  criminal  is  presumed  to  be  innocent,  and  is  not 
required  to  pay  for  the  prosecution  of  himself.  There  might 
be  instances  of  clear  actual  desertion,  or  actually  turning  the 
wife  out  of  doors,  where  the  case  would  be  different,  but  in 
most  cases  it  would  seem,  that  if  the  police  courts  cannot 
furnish  a  remedy,  or  the  wife  through  indigence  cannot  wait 
until  the  husband's  alleged  wrong  be  adjudicated,  the  state 
had  better  make  necessary  advances  or  incur  expenses.  The 
allowance  to  the  plaintiff  of  such  alimony  pendente  lite,  is  a 
conspicuous  cause  and  encouragement  of  much  marital  litiga- 
tion. Very  different  however  would  be  the  allowance  of  such 
alimony  to  the  defendant.  That  would,  at  least,  discourage 
litigation,  and  in  the  latter  case  the  defendant  does  not  claim 
the  marriage  should  cease.     It  might  well  be  considered,  that 


•In  New  York  a  wife  may  wrongfully  desert  her  husband,  and  carry  off  her  dower 
in  his  real  property,  and  since  in  that  case  he  can  only  get  a  decree  of  separation  he 
has  no  remedy  to  divest  her  lien  upon  his  property. 


SEPARATION  AND  DIVORCE  109 


the  security  of  the  home  Is  threatened  when  the  husband,  inno- 
cent or  guilty,  Is  at  any  time  liable  to  be  haled  Into  court,  to 
begin  a  litigation  doubly  expensive  and  in  any  event  disas- 
trous, and  in  some  cases  imprisoned  and  his  chances  for  a 
hearing  barred  or  hindered  for  failure  to  pay  this  preliminary 
exaction. 

(4)  Damages  the  Basis  of  Alimony. 

The  status  of  marriage  is  no  ideal  beyond  the  pale  of  rea- 
son, to  be  governed  by  sentiment  or  notions  founded  upon  a 
whim  or  antiquated  conditions.  It  is  best  considered  as  a 
contract,  but  a  rational  and  permanent  contract,  where  the 
form  is  fixed  by  the  state.  One  of  Its  chief  purposes  being 
that  the  husband  provide  for  the  household,  the  courts  right- 
fully seek  to  guard  with  the  greatest  diligence  that  feature,  a 
distinct  and  determined  violation  of  which.  Is  perhaps  the 
greatest  breach  on  the  husband's  part;  but  that  does  not 
mean  that  for  any  other  impropriety,  as,  arising  from  Incom- 
patibility, alleged  cruelty,  or  otherwise,  largely  mutual 
between  the  parties  and  often  trivial,  he.  If  the  balance  of  evi- 
dence weigh  never  so  slightly  against  him,  should  be  con- 
demned on  pain  of  Imprisonment  to  support  another  for  life 
without  her  services  or  companionship. 

Take  this  recent  case:*  A  separation  Is  allowed  the  wife 
because  her  husband  wrongfully  charges  her  with  infidelity. 
Admitting  that  she  should  be  allowed  the  separation  and  that 
he  should  pay  damages  for  his  deed,  nevertheless,  that  is  not  a 
sufficient  ground  that  he  should  support  her  separated  for  life, 
and  thus  become  a  slave.  As  In  all  contracts,  so  in  marital 
relations,  damages  should  be  based  upon  the  wrong  done  and 
the  Injury  sustained.  Where  the  wrongs  are  mutual  and  nearly 
balanced,  then  the  damages  are  slight.  Does  not  the  mere 
hope  of  alimony,  of  receiving  pay  without  labor,  encourage 
many  divorces? 


"Smith  V.  Smith,  92  App.  Div.  442  (N.  Y.) 


no  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

At  least  two-thirds  of  all  divorces  and  separations  are 
brought  by  women,  who  are  generally  entitled  to  leave  their 
homes  and  take  their  property*  without  any  suit  at  all.  Often 
the  husband's  offence  would  be  of  a  character  showing  an 
intention  on  his  part  to  utterly  destroy  the  family  relation.  In 
that  case,  the  damages  would  be  most  serious,  and  might  be 
made  payable  in  installments  on  security.  But  it  is  almost 
an  insult  to  any  modern  woman  to  suppose  that  like  a  child  she 
must  be  supported  when  separated  on  so  many  dollars  a  week, 
that  she  can't  handle  the  money  that  may  rightly  belong  to 
her  as  damages,  or  still  more,  may  be  a  part  of  the  community 
estate  she  has  helped  to  accumulate.  When  in  fact  there 
exists  a  community  estate  or  property  earned  during  the  mar- 
riage, why  should  not  this  be  considered  the  chief  fact  of 
property  right  in  case  of  separation,  and  she  though  in  the 
wrong,  not  be  necessarily  divested  of  all  of  such  property 
rights  ?§  It  would  seem  that  permanent  alimony  based  only 
on  support  and  irrespective  of  actual  damages  or  community 
rights,  has,  in  present  conditions,  no  longer  a  foundation  in 
reason :  Not  so  however,  temporary  alimony  after  trial  upon 
a  temporary  separation,  when,  according  to  the  law  of  Penn- 
sylvania, the  husband  may  at  any  time  subsequently  apply  for 
reinstatement  to  the  possession  of  his  family. f 


*As   to   property  in   New   York,   see   Note  Chapter   XIII. 

§An  explanation  why  so  many  marital  laws,  one  sided  and  adverse  to  the  rights  of 
the  husband  have  been  evolved  is,  there  has  been  an  attempt  to  adjust  the  natural 
community  rights  of  the  wife  largely  ignored  under  the  Common  Law:  but  such 
community  rights  should  rather  be  directly  and  consciously  enforced  in  the  appro- 
priate case  chiefly  at  the  cessation  of  the  community,  than  compensated  for  by  other 
inapplicable  measures  that  tend  to  discourage  and  break  up  the  family. 

tWhy  in  cases  of  separation,  especially  where  alimony  is  paid,  should  not  either 
party  after  a  proper  time  be  allowed  to  apply  for  the  reinstatement  of  marital  rights? 
There  is  something  abhorrent  to  reason  in  the  continual  payment  of  alimony  while 
deprived  of  wife  or  family,  unless  such  payment  be  justified  as  the  cancellation  of  a 
debt,  or  the  enforcement  of  the  division  of  community  property.  Such  permanent  ali- 
mony is,  moreover,  an  inducement  to  begin  and  to  make  permanent  a  separation, 
while  alimony  implying  the  right  of  reinstatement,  would  tend  to  reunite  the  sepa- 
rated . 


SEPARATION  AND  DIVORCE  1 1 1 

(5)  Policy  Should  be  to  Check  Divorces. 

Divorce  has  been  said  to  be  a  cure  for  certain  ills  of  society. 
That  may  be  true,  but  like  many  medicines  it  is  often  a  poison 
that  aggravates  the  disease.  The  policy  of  the  law  should 
be  to  check  divorces,  not  encourage  them ;  and  it  is  this  view 
that  has  created  the  law  against  collusion.  Under  the  Roman 
system  it  was  deemed  at  one  time  immoral  for  parties  to  agree 
never  to  separate  !  But  on  the  other  hand  we  might  find 
another  extreme,  as  in  a  Michigan  case,  where  the  husband 
proved  his  wife's  free  desertion  without  cause  or  connivance, 
and  was  about  to  get  a  decree  of  divorce  when  he  was  asked 
on  cross-examination,  "if  he  was  willing  to  have  her  go,"  and 
upon  replying  affirmatively,  the  decree  was  denied.  It  does 
not  appear  how  he  could  wish  and  not  w^ish  for  a  permanent 
separation  at  the  same  time,  or  that  if  his  wife  wouldn't  live 
with  him,  or  he  had  a  sufficient  ground  for  separation,  why  he 
couldn't  wish  for  it,  his  actual  consent  not  positively  appear- 
ing. Aside  from  the  question  of  fraud  upon  the  court,  it 
might  be  asked,  why  is  it  worse  to  separate  couples  where  both 
desire  it,  than  where  one  is  bitterly  opposed? 

Nevertheless  the  spirit  to  preserve,  not  break  up  the  home 
and  marriage,  should  be  dominant  with  the  courts.  The 
social  effect  of  their  decisions,  an  effect  bearing  upon  future 
marriages  and  general  society,  far  more  than  the  special  hard- 
ships upon  persons,  should  be  considered.  Personal  rights 
of  course  also  enter,  and  some  of  them  are  almost  sacred.  It 
would  seem  that  the  mother  has  the  first  right  to  the  child.  It 
would  also  seem  that  the  presumption  of  such  right  might 
turn  to  the  father  when  he  provides  for  the  child,  for  he  also 
has  a  feeling  of  parenthood,  and  to  permanently  take  away 
his  child  and  still  make  him  support  it,  is  at  least  harsh.  The 
courts  are  more  generally  and  wisely  allowing  visitations 
in  possible  cases.  The  reports  of  divorce  cases  are  often 
to-day  a  source  of  terror  to  the  prudent,  who  are  otherwise 


1 1 2  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

inclined  to  wed.  Such  news  often  chills  to  the  marrow  the 
necessary  spirit  of  venture,  the  future  hopes  and  expecta- 
tions, and  the  very  instincts  of  love,  that  lead  to  wedlock.  If 
the  home  cannot  be  made  a  place  of  peace  and  order,  of  rest 
and  love,  a  type  of  heaven  on  earth,  but  instead,  a  theatre  for 
brawls  and  strife,  impending  law  suits  and  outrageous  public- 
ity in  courts,  then  it  will  not  be  sought,  and  the  foundation 
for  happiness  and  social  stability  is  gone. 

(6)  Causes  and  Remedies. 

Without  enumerating  the  particular  facts  and  figures,  it 
may  generally  be  stated  that  divorce  is  rapidly  increasing, 
until  in  some  sections  of  the  country  the  amount  seems  appall- 
ing; and  that  such  divorce  is  more  prevalent  among  the  old 
population  especially  of  the  north.  The  law,  as  stated,  is 
chiefly  the  effect,  not  the  cause  that  leads  to  divorce,  which 
lies  in  the  condition  of  society.  The  very  forces  that  destroy 
love  and  sex  amity  before  marriage  would  of  course  tend  to  do 
the  same  after.  A  theory  and  practice  of  rivalry,  competition 
and  warfare  of  sex  among  the  unmarried  would  naturally 
spread  to  those  in  conjugal  relations.  Great  independence 
is,  of  course,  contrary  to  the  dependence  necessary  for  the 
unity  of  any  group  or  society.  A  spirit  of  economic  freedom 
without  assuming  economic  responsibility  militates  against 
any  society  necessarily  economic,  as  the  family.  The  cures 
for  divorce  lie  in  renovating,  if  that  be  possible,  the  under- 
lying sentiments  and  ideas  of  society.  If  that  be  impossible 
then  it  were  better  to  so  modify  the  law  and  practice  as  to 
favor  the  defendant  rather  than  the  plaintiff,  to  deal  severely 
with  the  party  who  really  shows  a  design  to  break,  up  the 
marriage,  and  in  the  settlement  of  property  rights  to  regard 
chiefly  the  wife's  natural  claim  to  a  community  interest.  Yet 
if  divorces  must  multiply,  remarriages  are  better  than  promis- 
cuity or  concubinage. 

If  our  people  wish  for  sex  equality,  let  them  also  have 


SEPARATION  AND  DIVORCE  1 13 

equality  In  marriage,  and  for  that  purpose  it  is  suggested  that 
the  contract  of  marriage  be  not  limited  to  the  one  form  now 
legal,  but  by  antenuptial  agreement  other  forms  be  allowed, 
which  is  already  to  some  extent  the  case,  especially  in  other 
countries.  One  form,  we  suggest,  is  an  equality  marriage : — 
Where  the  parties  are  of  full  age,  perhaps  twenty-five  years  of 
age  being  required,  or  if  under  that  age  parents  or  guardians 
consenting,  let  such  as  wish  in  legal  form  enter  a  kind  of  mar- 
riage wherein  both  shall  have  precisely  the  same  rights  and  be 
subject  to  the  same  duties,  and  both  be  equally  responsible  for 
the  children.  Such  contract  need  not  interfere  with  the  other 
and  common  form  now  in  vogue.  It  would  test  and  show  the 
effect  of  equality.  It  would  greatly  encourage  marriage 
among  men,  and  thus  give  women  a  greater  power  of  selec- 
tion. I  do  not  believe  it  to  be  the  ideal  form  of  marriage; 
but  it  is  the  necessary  evolution  of  the  idea  of  equality,  and 
in  a  free  country  freedom  must  work  out  its  own  results,  the 
law  must  conform  to  conditions,  and  the  social  will,  be 
allowed  with  consistency  to  have  its  sway. 

REFERENCES. 

The  same  as  Chapter  XIII  with  special  references  to  the  laws  of  divorce,  separa- 
tion and  alimony  in  New  York  and  other  states. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Warfare  of  Sex. 
(  I )  Sex  Warfare  Contrary  to  Nature. 

1AM  unable  to  discover  either  by  observation  or 
authority  any  reputable  evidence  of  significance, 
that  there  exists  by  nature,  either  among  animals 
or  men,  a  warfare  between  the  male  and  female  sex. 
A  few  abnormal  instances  seem  to  appear,  like  that 
of  the  female  mantis  spider  that  would  devour  the  male,  or 
the  neutral  workers  of  bees  that  often  kill  off  the  useless 
drones.  Among  domestic  animals,  the  young  male  of  the  ox 
will  fight  with  the  adult  female  until  he  conquers,  and  then 
forever  after  all  is  peace:  So  likewise  with  the  young  cock 
and  the  hen.  If  among  some  savage  tribes,  because  of  man's 
extreme  variability,  instances  of  such  warfare  should  appear, 
they  would  be  so  contrary  to  nature's  law,  as  to  quickly  dis- 
appear. On  the  other  hand  the  males  were  made 
to  fight  one  another.  Not  only  their  hostile  feelings  and 
instincts,  first  set  in  that  direction  appear,  but  muscles,  horns, 
thick  necks,  weapons  of  offense  and  defense  develop  and  fol- 
low; not  so  much  from  female  selection,  as  from  their  own 
instincts  and  inherent  variability,  and  finally  the  survival  of 
the  strongest  and  best.  Intellect  itself  seems  to  be  largely 
developed  by  the  fighting  instinct.  Ideas,  like  persons,  strug- 
gle for  ascendency  until  there  is  a  conquest  by  the  true  over 
the  false,  or  a  harmony.  Warfare,  indeed,  has  its  sphere,  but 
it  is  not  all  extensive.  Another  contrary  rule  and  power 
enters,  the  amity  of  sex,  universal  in  its  field;  and  to  impair 
or  destroy  its  law  and  power  works  decay,  degeneracy  and 
death. 


WARFARE  OF  SEX  115 

(2)  Slavery  of  Women. 

So  much  has  been  said  and  written  about  the  abuse  and 
slavery  of  women  by  men  among  savages  and  in  other  coun- 
tries, ages  and  climes,  that  an  impression  even  among  some 
scientists  is  conveyed,  that  nature,  though  possessing  con- 
tinuity and  unity,  does  not  possess  uniformity;  that  the  role 
of  harmony  between  the  sexes  existing  for  ages  among  ani- 
mals suddenly  stopped,  and  was  reversed  with  man,  and  that 
through  the  long  ages  of  his  development  there  have  been, 
more  or  less  constant,  cruelty,  enslavement,  degradation  of 
and  warfare  against  women.  There  could  be  no  greater 
mistake;  for  to  accept  it,  materially  mars  scientific  thinking 
upon  the  subject.  "The  old  view  of  the  subjection  of  women 
was  not,  in  fact,  so  much  of  tyranny  as  it  seemed,  but  roughly 
tended  to  express  the  average  division  of  labor:  of  course, 
hardships  were  frequent  but  these  have  been  exaggerated."* 

The  principle  of  love  and  amity  had  its  early  origin,  quite 
as  much  as  the  principle  of  struggle  and  conquest,  and  was 
quite  as  necessary.  In  any  increasing  culture  the  principle  of 
love,  like  other  necessary  forces,  must  constantly  grow  and  in- 
crease. It  should  be  higher  to-day  than  formerly,  as  all  civil- 
ization is  deemed  higher,  and  its  development  has  been,  more 
or  less,  uniform.  It  is  said,  among  savages  women  did  most  of 
the  industrial  labor.  It  seems  to  be  the  ideal  of  many  to  day, 
that  they  should  do  increasingly  more  now.  It  is  said  they 
were  purchased  for  wives.  Something  of  the  same  sort,  as 
in  dower,  still  exists.  If  they  were  captured  for  wives,  or  even 
slaves,  the  men  were  ruthlessly  slaughtered.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  heathen  Anglo-Saxon  invaders  of  England  killed  off 
nearly  all  the  Christian  Celtic  men  nurtured  in  Roman  civil- 
ization except  the  few  that  escaped  to  Wales  or  Ireland,  but 


•Evolution  of  Sex,  Geddes  and  Thompson,  P.  248.  See  contra.  Ward's,  Pure 
Sociology,  P.  345.  Also  see  The  Position  of  Women  in  early  Civilization  by  Edward 
Westermarck  in  the  American  Journal  of  Sociology,  November,  1904,  supporting  sub- 
stantially the  position  herein  taken. 


1 1 6  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


that  they  spared  many  of  the  women,  who  became  their  wives 
and  left  to  the  English  people  the  heritage  of  their  Celtic 
blood.  If  the  conquered  men  were  not  slaughtered  they  were 
made  slaves,  and  as  the  captured  women  became  wives  their 
slavery  tended  to  cease.  In  endogamy,  or  with  women  of  the 
same  clan  or  caste,  there  has  never  been  slavery.  From  the  be- 
ginning, wifehood  has  been  a  protection  against  cruelty,  slav- 
ery or  oppression.  Men  have  been  spurred  to  fight,  to  work, 
to  struggle  for  women,  even  like  Jacob  for  Laban's  daughter 
to  work  and  serve  for  seven  years. 

(3)    Woman,  a  Chief  Social  Factor. 

Nearly  all  of  the  marriage  ceremonies,  the  mutual  gifts,  the 
carefully  framed  customs  of  the  wedding  and  wedded  life, 
of  other  times  and  countries  irrefutably  show,  that  in  the  main 
between  husbands  and  wives,  love,  amity,  companionship  and 
mutual  help  have  been  the  rule.  In  nearly  all  cases  when 
women  appear  to  have  suffered  awful  wrongs,  even  as  in  the 
case  of  the  former  Hindo  Suttee,  it  has  been  voluntary  on 
her  part,  however  much  impelled  by  the  social  imperative  of 
rigid  customs.  Polygamous  women  and  those  in  Eastern 
harems  are  generally  satisfied  with  their  lot.  The  women  of 
Japan  and  China  do  not  bewail  their  fate.  If  in  the  future  the 
men  of  this  age  and  country  must  bear  the  blame  for  all  that 
occurs  in  society,  it  may  be  that  some  great  cruelties  will  be  im- 
puted to  them ;  as  that  delicate  girls  in  the  tender  susceptible 
period  of  blooming  young  womanhood  were  made  to  learn  or 
acquire  three  trades  or  tasks : — the  arduous  one  of  housekeep- 
ing alone  requiring  years,  that  of  extended  education,  alone 
severely  taxing  and  enervating,  for  a  period  nearly  two  years 
longer  than  that  of  her  stronger  brother,  and  an  industrial  oc- 
cupation equal  to  his  besides.  The  truth  is  women  have  ever 
been  a  most  potent  factor  in  all  social  influences.  Ideas,  like 
the  constant  dropping  of  water,  or  the  ever  continued  tread- 
ing of  the  tortoise,  spread  largely  by  constant  repetition  and 


WARFARE  OF  SEX  117 

transmission  and  she,  the  more  social  and  communicative,  and 
ever  associating  with  and  impressing  the  young,  has  been 
largely  instrumental  in  the  formation  of  social  sentiments, 
customs  and  beliefs,  that  are  the  ground  work  of  social  action. 

(4)  The  Age  of  Consent. 

Next  to  the  direct  love  towards  women,  the  instinct  of  war- 
fare of  men  towards  men,  is  the  chief  force  leading  to  wom- 
an's relative  power  or  supremacy.  As  an  instance  of  this  and 
partly  as  a  modern  instance  of  actual  intersex  hostility  I  cite 
the  following : — 

It  is  a  known  fact  that  girls  mature  earlier  than  boys,  usu- 
ally put  at  two  years.  The  male  among  all  animals  is  more 
active,  more  intense  in  his  passon  than  the  female,  and  thus 
with  man  the  fiery  sex  impulse  in  him  would  be  stronger,  the 
natural  checks  of  reason  and  will  relatively  weaker.  In 
almost  all  matters  of  love  women  are  wiser  than  men,  have 
more  control,  are  more  rational,  and  they  are  less  exposed. 
One  would  say  that  they  might  be  at  least  as  accountable  for 
its  voluntary  misdemeanors.  However  that  may  be,  at  least 
the  boys  are  not  more  guilty  than  girls  of  like  age,  and  it 
would  seem,  need  quite  as  much  protection.  A  criminal 
statute  that  would  equally  protect  both  by  raising  the  age 
of  consent  with  penalties  reasonable  and  graded  according  to 
age  would  doubtless  be  salutary,  though  subject  to  the  objec- 
tion, that  every  one  should  abide  the  consequences  of  his  own 
sin  and  not  seek  to  punish  another  for  it.  In  the  name  of 
reform  and  under  the  leadership  of  feminine  organizations, 
mostly  advocating  equal  rights,  pliant  legislators  have  of  late 
in  nearly  all  the  states  raised  the  age  of  consent  of  females  in 
cases  of  mutual  voluntary  coition;  in  12  states  to  18  years,* 
with  penalties  against  male  violators  in  most  cases  up  to  ten 
or  twenty  years'  imprisonment  in  the  state  prison,  in  some 


•In  New  York  State  i8  years;  with  a  penalty  up  to  lo  years'  imprisonment. 


1 1 8  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

cases  with  a  possible  imprisonment  for  life,  or  even  death. 
The  boys  of  any  age  are  not  only  left  unprotected,  but  they 
too,  in  almost  every  case,  are  made  subject  to  these  penalties 
as  other  men.  The  men  being  represented,  might  well  pass 
any  laws  against  themselves  and  take  the  consequences,  but 
boys,  like  women,  are  not  represented,  and  as  against  them 
most  of  these  laws  are  barbarous  or  imbecile,  according  to  the 
point  of  view  taken. 

Not  only  in  the  case  just  cited,  but  also  in  the  general  tenor 
of  the  matrimonial  laws  and  in  the  favor  shown  by  juries  to 
women,  it  is  evident,  that  their  special  interests,  though  they 
be  not  represented  in  the  government,  will  always  be  safe- 
guarded by  reason  of  the  natural  amity  of  the  male  towards 
the  female,  and  the  natural  hostility  of  the  males  among  them- 
selves. 

(5)  Dangers  of  Sex  Warfare. 

In  general,  however  far  the  hostility  of  men  towards  men 
might  go,  mingled  with  their  sympathy  for  women,  the  result- 
ing disadvantage  to  men  as  such  is  little  to  be  considered.  It 
is  the  dangers  to  society,  to  the  family,  to  marriage,  that  are 
significant.  Whatever  breeds  a  spirit  of  warfare  and  hostility 
between  the  sexes,  destroys  chivalry,  and  impairs  respect 
towards  women  is  deleterious  to  society  and  the  family.  Love 
begets  love,  and  hate  engenders  hate.  There  is  no  possibility 
of  eradicating  mere  sexual  attraction,  but  romantic  love  and 
the  cultures  that  surround  it,  the  spurs  that  lead  to  great  sacri- 
fices for  marriage,  the  longings  for  the  beautiful  charms  and 
peace  of  one's  own  home,  the  almost  innate  desire  to  work  for, 
to  help  and  to  share  with  another,  are  free  attractive  forces, 
that  may  be  aroused,  drawn  out  and  enticed  by  an  object  of 
purity,  modesty  and  loveliness.  These  forces  cannot  be  fright- 
ened into  action  nor  compelled,  but  rather  are  dissipated  by 
whatever  creates  a  spirit  of  injustice  or  of  hostility.  If  chival- 
ry, if  intersex  politeness  is  waning,  the  sign  is  bad  and  there 


WARFARE  OF  SEX  119 

must  be  a  cause.  Is  it,  in  part,  the  promiscuous  competition 
and  struggle  between  the  sexes  in  industry  and  in  education? 
Perhaps  still  more  than  this,  is  the  transitional  cause,  that 
while  this  competitive  warfare  is  fiercely  waged,  men  as  of 
old  are  expected  to  bear  the  same  burdens  and  responsibilities 
as  heads  of  families,  nay  greater;  for  the  standard  of  living 
seems  to  rise  ever  higher,  and  the  cost,  to  become  more  and 
more.  If  evolution  never  goes  backward,  (which  proposition 
may  well  be  doubted  under  the  evidences  in  history  of  a  rhyth- 
mic social  course,  a  swinging  of  the  pendulum,)  then  men 
must  long  for  the  good  time,  when  their  partners  enjoying 
every  right  will  also  share  equally  every  burden. 

(6)    Exclusive  Social  Clubs. 

As  affecting  sex  warfare  to-day,  some  queer  anomalies  seem 
to  be  presented.  Although  in  society  for  display  or  pleasure, 
in  travel,  and  in  business  and  education,  where  competition  is 
rife,  the  sexes  of  almost  every  age  freely  commingle,  yet  in 
social  clubs,  in  literary  or  culture  associations,  there  is  a  some- 
what strange  and  contrary  seclusion.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  highest  display  of  woman's  talents  arose  in  the  French 
salon,  at  a  time  when  she  had  comparatively  little  schooling, 
but  then  her  association  was  with  talented  men.  At  one  time 
in  France  at  the  period  of  Moliere,  preciosity,  or  a  kind  of 
sex  warfare,  arose,  but  it  was  quickly  downed,  probably 
because  of  the  intersex  association.*  To  such  intermingling 
now  there  could  hardly  be  raised  the  objection  of  lack  of  pro- 
tection for  women.  Moreover  such  club  and  literary  associa- 
tion is  not  competitive,  but  rather  stimulative  and  inspiring, 
and  the  respective  superior  talents  of  each  sex  by  fusion  tend 
to  balance  vagaries,  absurdities  and  extravagances,  and  reach 
the  white  light,  wherein  unclouded  vision  may  see  the  greatest 
truth  and  beauty.     Clannishness  and  separation  breeds  divi- 


•Bruneticre.     History  of  French  Literature. 


120  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

sion  and  warfare  in  the  intellect,  whose  culture  if  secluded 
becomes  narrowing;  if  not  opposed  it  flies  off  in  tangents. 
Both  pent  up  feeling  and  weak  logic  add  to  the  fund  of 
strange  and  extreme  ideas.  This  is  the  case  where  social 
topics  in  which  male  and  female  may  have  separate  inter- 
ests, are  discussed  by  one  sex  alone.  Such  discussion  tends  to 
become  one-sided  and  biased  until  new  and  strange  beliefs  are 
formed  contrary  to  the  social  environment  without,  and  leads 
to  warfare,  and  if  such  topics  pertain  to  sex,  to  sex  warfare. 
Truths  for  society  spring  best  from  homes  or  social  homes 
expanded. 

(7)   Love,  the  Antidote. 

There  is  probably  as  much  sex  warfare  in  America  to-day 
as  has  ever  existed,  and  the  adverse  search  lights  that  are 
thrown  into  the  past  to  determine  woman's  position  are  tinted 
with  that  modern  hue.  Yet  this  does  not  mean  that  there  has 
not  been  an  almost  constant  progression  of  the  condition  of 
men  and  of  the  status  of  women.  Love  has  progressed  no 
less  than  intellect  until  not  only  in  the  family,  in  the  church, 
in  the  charities  of  the  state,  and  in  the  theories  of  education, 
it  has  become  the  leading  theme. 

Never  can  be  effaced  in  any  proper  sociological  thought 
the  role  of  Christianity  in  this  regard,  the  religion  of  love. 
Thence  has  sprung,  as  in  the  middle  ages,  the  wonderful  new 
life  and  vigor  of  romantic  love,  though  clearly  in  a  lower  cul- 
ture it  existed  from  the  beginning.  Conjugal  love  received 
thereby  a  new  inspiration  that  for  ages  preserved  the  family 
intact  in  spite  of  any  hostile  law  or  environment.  Fraternal 
love  spread  from  man  to  man,  city  to  city,  precinct  to  pre- 
cinct, and  finally  from  nation  to  nation,  until  a  world  sym- 
pathy is  wafted  throughout  the  globe. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  and  hence  so  oft  repeated,  that 
the  original  source  of  love  lies  in  the  home  and  the  mating 
and  to-be-mated  pair;   that  warfare  here  strikes  to  the  very 


WARFARE  OF  SEX  121 

root  nature's  dearest  plant.  That  that  plant  Is  not  like  a  wild 
weed  that  may  be  spurned,  ignored  or  trodden  down ;  but  one 
that  needs  the  greatest  care,  attention  and  culture.  Its  roots  lie 
deep  in  the  social  soil,  and  must  have  food,  as  economic  oppor- 
tunity; water,  as  friendly  laws  and  customs;  and  it  must  have 
the  needful  air  of  social  favor.  Sex  warfare,  like  a  Sirocco, 
will  blast  its  tender  leaves  and  fruitage, 

REFERENCES. 

The  current  American  Literature  upon  the  question  of  sex. 

NOTE. 

If  sex-consciousness,  of  which  much  has  been  said,  means  simply  an  interest 
in  the  subject  of  sex,  which  is  one  of  the  most  fundamental  questions  of  all  philoso- 
phy or  social  relations,  it  is  very  proper.  If  however,  by  that  term  is  indicated  a 
spirit  of  sex  hostility  or  warfare,  it  is  especially  objectionable,  contrary  to  nature, 
and  good  feeling  and  deserves  public  odium.  There  is  perhaps  a  tendency  just  now 
in  literature  to  cast  out  the  direct  subject  of  sex  altogether,  but  it  cannot  be  done. 
The  family  is  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States  to-day  in  a  somewhat  chaotic  con- 
dition, and  nothing  but  a,  conscious  presentation  of  the  facts  can  be  a  working  basis 
for   improvement. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Tendency  of  Free  Love. 
( I )  Emotional  Thinking. 

EVERY  emotion  changes  at  every  instant.  It  may, 
like  air,  water  or  earth,  according  to  quantity, 
form  or  fitness,  be  good,  bad  or  indifferent. 
Speaking  of  emotion  as  felt  merely,  as  I  love 
or  I  fear,  it  is  subjective,  and  but  a  particular 
kind  of  feeling  having  the  virtue  of  power,  but  a  power  that 
may  be  either  useful  or  destructive.  For  the  purpose  of  true 
thinking  or  arriving  at  truth,  such  merely  subjective  emotions 
have  little  value,  except  as  a  power,  an  inspiration,  an  impetus, 
or  in  addition,  that  which  gives  us  the  kind  of  feeling.  To 
think  in  this  subjective  way  merely  is  called  emotional  or  sen- 
timental thinking.  It  is  like  the  sailor  who  only  feels  and 
watches  the  air,  wind  or  breeze,  without  reference  to  the  sail, 
boat,  course,  or  end  of  the  journey.  It  is  to  be  borne  along  by 
your  inner  impulse  as  guide,  without  intellect,  comparison  or 
purpose.    It  is  really  not  thinking  at  all. 

On  the  other  hand,  for  definite  thought,  emotions  must  be 
presented  to  the  mind  objectively,  visualized,  as  It  were,  like 
external  objects,  and  they  must  have  a  body,  form,  limitation, 
structure  and  end.  They  then  may  become  good  or  moral, 
and  form  the  basis  of  accurate  thinking  or  science.  This  is 
objective  thinking  or  the  scientific  method.  Now  the  method 
of  science  will  not  be  limited  to  physics,  chemistry,  or  biology; 
it  must  pass  into  the  realm  of  mind  itself,  and  then  it  will  not 
stop  with  psychology,  or  a  limited  sociology,  but  will  reach 
into  the  very  emotions  and  feelings,  even  into  the  sacred  tem- 
ple of  love. 


THE  TENDENCY  OF  FREE  LOVE    123 

But  a  great  defect  of  some  scientists  has  been  a  lack  of  dis- 
crimination in  passing  from  field  to  field.  The  physicists  by 
the  wont  acquired  in  physical  thinking,  are  apt  to  make  the 
conceptions  and  laws  of  matter  apply  in  like  manner  to  mind. 
Instead  of  beginning  with  psychoses,  with  feelings  and 
thoughts  and  the  soul,  as  revealed  in  consciousness,  they  often 
tend  to  conceive  of  and  picture  the  mind,  as  the  product  of  an 
external  material  thing  only,  under  the  laws  of  matter.  Like- 
wise with  many  in  social  science,  the  laws  of  economics  which 
are  founded  on  justice  with  the  ultimate  enforcement  by  the 
power  or  sanction  of  coercion,  are  confused  with  the  laws  of 
love,  which  have  for  enforcement  the  means  or  sanction  of  at- 
traction or  persuasion.  It  is  only  by  the  objective  or  scientific 
method  that  truth  may  be  reached,  and  only  by  that  method 
that  a  true  conception  of  love,  moral  love,  can  be  acquired, 
and  such  love  only  is  worthy  of  the  name,  and  forms  that 
beautiful  and  moral  ideal  that  glitters  and  dazzles,  as  a  charm 
and  beacon  to  the  world. 

(2)    Freedom  of  Emotions. 

Now  emotions,  particularly  love,  pant  for  freedom,  because 
they  spring  from  that  mysterious  subconsciousness  that  cannot 
be  grasped  or  controlled.  They  cannot  be  called  forth  by  will ; 
they  can  only  be  suppressed  or  inhibited  after  appearance.  You 
cannot  lash  a  lover  to  adore  his  sweetheart,  or  a  husband,  his 
wife.  Cultural  sensibilities  must  be  nurtured  in  the  mountain 
air  of  freedom.  Here  there  must  be  free  space,  free  soil. 
The  germ  will  not  arise  when  the  ground  has  all  been  pre- 
occupied by  a  contending  writhing  mass,  in  the  struggle  for 
existence.  Hence  freedom,  of  itself,  has  been  called  a  supreme 
virtue.  But  as  elsewhere,  there  are  limits  here  also.  Every 
nascent  emotion  must  be  brought  under  the  dominion  of  intel- 
lect and  will.  In  animal  life  mere  impulse  and  instinct  may 
suffice,  but  with  human  beings  intelligence  must  reign,  and 
love  evoked,  inspired,  developed  into  luxuriant  growth  by 


124  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

free  Impulse,  must  ever  be  subject  to  the  check  of  rational 
direction.  Romantic  love  called  forth,  stimulated,  and  by 
concentration  carried  to  the  greatest  depths  In  free  court- 
ship, must  at  the  goal  of  marriage  be  limited  strictly  to  one; 
else  its  virtue  and  morality,  its  charm  all  disappear;  it  be- 
comes something  hideous,  to  be  fled  from,  tabooed  and  hated, 
and  society  to  preserve  itself  must  have  engendered  and  must 
keep  alive  that  general  social  sentiment,  the  conscious  embod- 
iment of  this  distortion,  which  Is  the  horror  of  free  love.  It 
is  at  the  bottom  because  of  this  principle,  that  the  clergy, 
oppose  the  remarriage  of  the  divorced.  Simple  and  neces- 
sary as  may  appear  this  sentiment.  It  is  apt  to  wane  and  van- 
ish from  a  whole  people,  and  then  the  safeguard  and  stability 
of  marriage,  the  home  and  the  family  is  gone; 

(3)  Free  Love. 

An  Insect  flies  from  flower  to  flower,  led  by  sense  and 
Instinct  alone.  An  epicure  cares  little  for  any  other  standard 
for  food  than  taste.  Perhaps  an  artist  may  know  no  other 
guide  than  an  Inner  sense  of  feeling,  and  so  a  free  lover 
will  justify  his  every  action  by  a  fickle,  changeable,  mobile 
sentiment  of  love.  Reason  with  him  has  no  standard  or 
foundation,  but  a  weird,  to  him  sacred,  esoteric  Impulse. 
You  cannot  argue  with  him,  because  sentiment  overwhelms 
and  buries  every  vestige  of  reason,  every  comparison,  and 
leaves  nothing  but  the  starting  point,  the  thing  at  issue,  the 
supremacy  of  a  passion.  This  free  love  will  be  flouted  in 
social  circles,  spread  upon  the  stage,  enter  surreptiously  Into 
literature,  and  in  fiction,  which  has  every  opportunity  in 
courtship  for  true  romantic  love,  unsatisfied  It  will  step  over 
into  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony,  and  spew  its  nauseating 
wares  upon  a  public  too  often  greedy  to  Imbibe  Its  strange, 
uncouth,  fantastic,  but  stimulating  poison. 

A  would-be  rationalist  may  arise  and  say:  "What  reason 
has  your  rule  for  restraint  anyhow?  Is  the  authority  religion? 


THE  TENDENCY  OF  FREE  LOVE    125 

That  binds  no  longer!"  Not  being  able  to  see,  as  perhaps 
most  persons  can't  see,  or  do  not  wish  to  see,  the  ulterior  and 
social  purpose  of  most  of  the  obligations  of  religion.  Thus 
free  love  may  permeate  a  whole  community  or  nation,  break 
up  the  harmony  of  homes,  cause  divorce  and  separation, 
and  undermine  the  family;  and  that  "love"  which,  as 
mere  feeling  and  separate  from  duty,  fidelity  and  the  sacra- 
ment or  sacredness  of  marriage,  is  claimed  by  many  to  be  the 
only  proper  motive  to  remain  in  wedlock,  or  therein,  a  suf- 
ficient motive  to  form  a  new  alliance  without,  is  often  but 
another  name  for  free  love. 

(4)  American  Courtship. 

There  are  many  in  America  who  flatter  themselves,  that 
here  the  period  and  opportunity  for  courtship  is  so  extended 
and  free,  that  it  affords  better  chances  for  selection  and  mat- 
ing, for  discovering  that  wonderful  secret,  single  affinity, 
which  for  this  one  pair  alone  existed!  It  might  require  ten 
years  in  a  single  case,  or  as  long  a  period  in  a  hundred  cases 
of  trial  to  make  the  discovery !  In  the  former  instance  of  ten 
years'  trial  conjugal  affection,  if  it  come,  will  have  lost  in 
part  its  spring  and  vitality.  In  the  latter,  of  a  hundred  trials, 
the  parties  have  become  thoroughly  wonted  to  the  bolting 
and  unbolting  of  the  locks  of  love. 

Is  all  the  seclusion  of  the  sexes  of  other  peoples  during 
early  maturity  a  great  mistake,  an  old  fogy  conservatism,  or  a 
superstition  of  semi-barbarism?  During  early  manhood  and 
womanhood  propinquity  between  the  sexes  tends  either  to 
produce  indifference  or  a  principle  akin  to  that  found  in  the 
repugnance  to  endogamy  and  incest,  or  to  generate  the  sen- 
timent of  love.  In  the  latter  case,  multifarious  attachments 
are  formed  to  be  as  often  broken.  There  is  a  danger,  per- 
haps not  necessarily  serious,  either  to  deaden  mutual  attrac- 
tion, or  to  accustom  to  a  freedom  of  change  possibly  never 


126  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

to  be  eradicated.  Free  and  unrestricted  association  between 
the  matured  sexes  in  business,  education  or  otherwise  has  this 
effect.  Of  course,  the  amount  and  manner  of  such  propin- 
quity is  a  question  of  degree  and  conditions.  The  only  ques- 
tion here  raised  is,  is  there  not  a  limit  to  it  for  reasons  even 
beyond  those  of  purity.  How  can  an  inviolable  rule  in 
marriage  that  romantic  love  except  in  one  case  be  inhibited, 
be  indelibly  fastened  upon  the  conscience  of  a  people,  when 
for  many  years  that  passion  has  had  the  freest  and  most 
unrestrained  exercise? 

(5)  Belovedness. 

But  free  love  does  not  have  its  more  frequent  facile  course 
in  cases  where  a  genuine  positive  amativeness  flows  out 
towards  another  in  generous  deeds  and  kindness,  grows  by 
exercise,  and  by  its  very  nature  tends  to  unity  and  perman- 
ence. There  is  besides,  that  other  reflected,  different  and 
feminine  amatory  passion,  which  like  the  moon  depends  upon 
original  beams  of  sun  light,  whose  chief  quality  is  that  it 
loves  to  be  loved,  and  which,  for  a  better  word,  we  will  call 
"belovedness." 

True  positive  love  can  never  be  selfish,  and  prefers  to  give 
rather  than  to  receive,  but  "belovedness"  lies  in  the  border 
line  of  selfishness,  and  for  its  feeling  of  amity  depends  upon 
the  original  ray,  the  gift,  the  bestowment  of  another.  When 
the  original  light  departs  or  seems  to  depart  from  "beloved- 
ness" darkness  falls  upon  it,  and  its  bonds  for  attraction  and 
connection  so  far  as  they  depend  upon  sexual  amity  disap- 
pear. When  there  are  no  other  bonds  of  religious  conscience, 
or  obligation,  nor  family  ties,  it  will  afford  the  most  common 
and  fertile  field  for  free  love,  ready  to  catch  and  reflect  at 
any  time  other  beams  of  light  which,  as  readily  as  before,  may 
be  flirted  away  for  a  new  illumination. 

"Belovedness,"  so  called,  easily  falls  afield  directly  into 


THE  TENDENCY  OF  FREE  LOVE    127 

selfishness.  It  may  be  inveterate  in  its  preachments  of  love, 
and  deftly  practice  all  the  arts  to  call  the  latter  forth  to  use 
the  same  for  its  needs  and  instrument.  Warily  may  it  deceive 
the  hooded  blinded  Cupid,  who  foolishly  falls  into  snares, 
loses  all  discretion  and  reason,  and  finally  fails  to  perceive 
or  feel  whether  or  not  his  darted  beam  of  amity  has  been 
reflected  or  returned.  Like  the  duck,  this  form  of  love,  we 
call  "belovedness,"  can  shed  the  water  of  amatory  gushing, 
when  it  comes  to  the  surface  after  every  plunge. 

(6)  The  Child,  a  Remedy. 

Deep  down  in  the  roots  of  nature,  even  below  the  beliefs 
and  institutional  sentiments  of  society,  let  us  seek  for  some 
remedy  to  stay  the  ravages  of  free  love.  There  should  have 
been  some  original  tie  that  bound  the  first  rude  pair  together. 
Nature  provided  the  attraction  for  their  mating;  nature 
must  have  provided  the  original  bonds  to  bind  them  fast; 
for  this  too  was  necessary  at  any  stage  to  preserve  the  race, 
and  at  the  higher  stage  to  promote  civilization  and  progress. 
This  natural  tie  was  the  child,  inspiring  love  in  mother  and 
father,  which  by  its  cross  beams  reflecting  back  and  forth, 
holds  them  all  encircled  in  a  permanent  group.  Couples 
alone  without  this  tie  need  all  the  possible  stimulating  of 
otherwise  conjugal  love,  the  obligations,  the  imprecations  of 
conscience  and  of  society,  perhaps  the  fear  of  the  law,  to 
hold  them  firm :  but  here  lies  a  force  with  the  natural  con- 
jugal love  attending,  that  binds  even  with  most  other  bonds 
withdrawn.  Where  children  are  feared,  eschewed  or 
avoided,  the  deadly  seeds  of  family  discord  are  ever  ready 
to  spring  up,  take  root,  and  cause  the  decay  of  family  unity. 
When  among  any  people  a  general  practice  of  child  preven- 
tion becomes  prevalent,  that  deadly  ax  has  cut  the  very  tap 
root  of  the  family,  of  its  unity,  its  life,  its  persistence,  and 


128  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

with  it  the  life  and  persistence  of  that  people  and  its  insti- 
tutions. 

REFERENCES. 

Alex.    Bain Emotions   and    the    Will. 

George    L.    Ladd's Psychology. 

William    James's Psychology. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Drunken  and  Dissipated  Patriarch. 
( I )  The  Patriarch  Drinking, 

A  PATRIARCH  steps  forth  with  the  economic 
keys  to  the  larder,  to  the  room  that  holds 
supplies  for  clothing,  shoes,  and  household 
comforts.  He  is  the  one  who  is  to  sit  as 
umpire  to  decide  their  distribution.  A  week 
of  labor  has  gone  by,  and  nine  dollars,  the  moneyed  keys 
are  in  his  pocket.  Six  would-be-happy  children,  and  a  toil- 
ing, faithful  wife  are  in  his  home.  He  enters  a  saloon.  Ten 
cents  would  buy  a  pleasing  toy  for  that  chubby  babe,  to  last 
and  give  it  joy  for  months.  At  one  gulp  it  is  gone;  only  the 
start,  to  mix  his  brain,  mar  his  body,  and  send  throughout 
his  nerves  currents  that  react  and  ever  stronger  bring  devour- 
ing artificial  appetite.  In  an  hour  w^ith  boon  companions,  a 
dollar  which  contains  so  many  comforts  for  that  Vvaiting  long- 
ing needing  home,  is  worse  than  thrown  aw^ay.  Before  the 
day  is  done  one-half  of  that  precious  storage,  the  mark  and 
prize  of  a  week's  hard  toil,  the  well  deserved  reward  for  that 
working  cheering  wife,  and  those  hopeful,  naturally  buoyant 
children,  is  cast  out  as  to  the  dogs,and  he  speeds  homeward 
reeling,  his  judgment  twisted  to  fantastic  forms,  his  love 
and  sympathy  erst  natural  and  o'erflowing  turned  to  nauseous 
maudlin,  to  childish  drivel,  or  his  authority  enveloped  in  a 
blackened  cloud  of  cruel  savage  anger,  to  enter  and  to  sit  as 
patriarch,  where  he  must  kindly  judge  and  equitably  admin- 
ister in  that  home.  It  were  well  to  draw  the  curtain  down 
and  see  no  more.    Surely  the  patriarchal  system  here  staggers 


130  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

for  support !  What  wonder  that  a  thousand  voices  have  been 
raised  crying  for  some  relief,  and  that  wild  enthusiasm  might 
at  times  o'erstep  the  bounds  of  due  discretion. 

(2)    The  Patriarch  Gambling. 

A  maiden  fair  and  hopeful  has  learnt  the  culinary  art,  takes 
pride  in  housekeeping,  and  has  by  modesty  preserved  the 
power  of  love,  that  it  may  center  and  be  forever  fresh  and 
strong  towards  one  pure  heart.  She  meets  a  gaysome  youth 
who  pleases  and  adores,  and  she  trusts  her  happiness  to  him. 
Perhaps  for  months  or  years  they  tread  a  rosy  path  together, 
and  have  garnered  and  stored  away  for  future  use  and  possibil- 
ities by  close  economy,  a  little  fortune ;  and  children  also  bless 
their  home.  But  chance,  that  errant  imp  that  seems  to  lurk  in 
every  crack  and  crevice  of  nature's  structure,  and  in  every 
turn  of  wayward  human  action,  as  a  gaming  fiend,  has 
entered,  has  possessed  and  got  control,  of  this  now  elevated 
patriarch's  mind.  Labor  to  him  is  hardly  now  worth  while, 
for  in  a  single  moment  the  product  of  a  week's  hard  toil 
more  easily  can  be  won.  The  dollars  saved  now  soon  out- 
flow to  fill  the  gaps  of  losses ;  the  laid-by  treasure  takes  wings 
and  flies  away.  Before,  hopes  kindled  this  mind  into  cheerful 
action  for  daily  tasks.  Now,  to  hide  the  dismal  future,  he 
demands  a  dissipation,  a  darkened  cloud  to  enter  and  hide 
awhile,  and  thus  shut  oft  the  future's  peering  gloom.  Still  he 
remains  the  patriarch,  with  power  to  furnish  or  withhold  the 
bread  and  clothes  and  requisites  of  life,  almost  the  power  of 
life  and  death,  at  least  the  power  of  bliss  or  misery.  What 
wonder  then  if  insurrection  may  arise,  the  patriarch's  claim  be 
flouted  to  the  breeze,  and  even  more,  some  new  constructed 
theory  be  spread  to  stop  such  ills  as  these.  Perhaps  the  pins- 
ions  of  these  patriarchs  may  well  at  times  be  clipped,  for  jus- 
tice never  will  cease  her  ever  onward  course. 


DRUNKEN  AND  DISSIPATED  PATRIARCH  131 

(3)  Coercion  by  Law. 

An  army  of  reformers  arises  and  faces  the  question  of  dilap- 
idated homes.  In  many  cases  a  salutary  public  sentiment,  a 
'horror  of  home  abuse'  is  planted  in  the  American  social 
mind,  and  the  standard  of  family  living  and  enjoyment  much 
improved.  Stringent  laws  to  hold  in  check  the  'variable' 
head  have  been  passed,  and  often  severely  enforced.  For 
default,  arrest  and  imprisonment  stare  him  in  the  face.  And 
yet  where  these  laws  appear  most  necessary,  in  cases  of  actual 
family  destitution,  they  seem  to  be  the  least  effectual.  Impris- 
onment often  appears  to  afford  a  recreation  from  toil  to  the 
defective  laboring  man,  while  his  family  in  the  meantime  suf- 
fer all  the  more  for  lack  of  any  help.  If  pressed  too  hard,  his 
little  love  entirely  dissipates,  and  he  flies  away.  Coercion  of 
this  sort  had  better  be  confined  to  certain  limited  bounds.  It 
is  only  effective  when  the  great  majority  of  moral  men  with 
a  united  public  sentiment  would  punish  the  abuse  of  a  discre- 
tionary power.  It  is  only  an  incidental  remedy  at  best,  and  its 
efficiency  in  obtaining  a  greater  share  for  the  dependent  mem- 
bers of  the  family,  is  almost  a  drop  in  the  bucket,  when  com- 
pared with  that  other,  greater  and  all  prevailing  force,  of 
love,  persuasion  and  social  opinion.  In  fact  almost  anything 
that  tends  to  produce  a  warfare  in  the  family  is  against  the 
current  of  nature.  Individual  members  as  such  must  be  pro- 
tected, but  where  the  family  is  to  continue,  every  internecine 
blow,  whether  private  or  by  public  law,  leaves  its  rankling 
festering  wound  and  scar  that  can  only  be  healed  by  the 
returning  power  of  love. 

(4)  Reform  by  Love. 

Too  often  has  the  spirit  of  sex  warfare  actuated  organiza- 
tions established  in  the  name  of  home  improvement,  some- 
times with  a  raging  wrathful  breath  seeking  to  punish  some- 
body for  another's  at  least  coequal  sin.  Here,  along  with  the 
good  intended  comes  a  worse  evil.    While  pruning  the  family 


132  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

tree,  it  cuts  away  the  main  branches  or  roots;  while  aiming 
to  stir  and  till  the  soil  for  that  tree's  culture,  it  drags  and 
hauls  the  soil  away;  or  while  plucking  out  the  weeds,  it  pulls 
up  the  plant  itself.  Sometimes  such  societies  flatter  the  unctu- 
ous ears  of  saints,  while  portraying  the  horrors  of  the  distant 
deeds  of  others,  when  the  saints  should  rather  be  reminded 
of  their  own  different  sins,  and  the  others  be  sought  out, 
preached  to  perhaps,  but  often  better,  labored  with  by  all 
the  kindly  arts  of  persuasion  and  social  help.  Sometimes  have 
reformers  shown  a  direful  and  greater  defect  in  their  own 
homes,  while  engaged,  in  even  ireful  ardor,  in  bettering  the 
homes  of  others. 

Perhaps  all  such  frailties  are  incident  to  human  nature 
and  may  well  be  overlooked,  but  the  great  mistake  has  been 
in  not  more  exclusively  following  the  one  clear  remedy  of 
direct  reform — persuasion.  Some  now  may  doubt  the  power 
of  positive  love  and  returning  good  for  evil,  but  it  was  that 
power  coupled  with  persuasion  in  Christian  hearts,  that  over- 
came the  cruel  atrocities  of  the  Roman  Empire  and  the  bar- 
barity of  Northern  Europe,  brought  into  union  all  these 
people,  and  fitted  a  receptive  soil  for  modern  thought  and 
civilization.  No  task  to-day  has  any  comparison  with  that, 
and  of  all  fields,  the  family  is  the  one  for  the  culture  of  that 
principle. 

(5)   Woman's  Selection. 

To  be  rid  of  worthless  patriarchs,  the  indirect  social  way, 
as  well  as  the  direct  individual  way,  and  perhaps  the  most 
eflficient  of  all,  is  selection.  Some  have  claimed  that  the 
female  of  animals  selected,  while  soon  in  man's  ascent  that 
course  was  changed.  It  seems  to  me,  however,  that  from 
the  higher  animals  up  through  all  human  development,  the 
selection  by  females  and  by  women  of  their  mates  has  been  an 
ascending  series.  With  animals,  I  observe,  that  the  con- 
queror took  the  prize  contended  for,  and  so  to  some  extent 


DRUNKEN  AND  DISSIPATED  PATRIARCH  133 

with  man  ;  but  generally  the  male  with  passion  seeks,  and  the 
female  with  cooler  ardor  chooses,  and  the  power  to  exercise 
that  choice  grows  more  and  more  with  rising  culture.  Even 
economics  here  need  not  form  a  bar.  The  choice  of  rich  or 
poor  is  still  with  her.  Because  in  love  her  reason  is  more 
free,  her  intuition  more  subtle,  and  her  receptive  sense 
more  penetrating.  She  is  better  equipped,  wiser  and  abler 
for  choice  than  he.  Only  she  needs  the  seekers,  and  they 
come  to  her  enticing  and  exalted  self;  so  made,  not  by  war- 
fare, by  competition,  nor  by  assuming  the  masculine  traits  or 
air;  not  by  fitting  herself  for  some  other  possible  sphere  or 
occupation  with  its  bent,  hopes  or  customs,  but  rather  by  cul- 
tivating a  natural  feminine  grace  and  ladyhood,  by  plying  the 
domestic  arts,  by  skill  in  housewifery,  and  more  than  all,  by 
a  mind  looking  forward  to  and  contented  with  the  peaceful 
quiet  life  of  home.  Men  may  be  mostly  fools,  but  still  a  few 
can  see  beyond  the  smoky  light.  They  have  at  least  some 
economic  insight.  Two  economies  must  exist  in  the  family, 
the  earning  and  the  saving,  the  income  and  the  outgo,  the 
receipts  and  the  expenses.  The  latter  ones  chiefly  belong 
to  her. 

(6)  Vices  and  Virtues  Mixed. 

Who  has  not  noticed  communities,  where  nearly  all  the 
men,  and  often  the  women,  drink,  and  have  many  vulgar 
vices,  and  yet  there  is  domestic  harmony,  and  apparent  happi- 
ness, the  community  thrives,  multiplies,  spreads  and  prevails? 
It  is  not  because  of  the  vices,  which  all  tend  to  disrupt,  break 
down  and  destroy.  There  must  be  virtues  interlinked,  and 
the  reward  of  social  study  is  to  eschew  the  vices,  and  pick  out 
the  virtues.  One  dominant  virtue  among  these  people,  par- 
ticularly foreign  Americans,  is  that  they  hold  closely  to  the 
old  time-honored  bonds  and  obligations  of  the  family.  Lov^e 
as  an  art  with  them  may  not  be  cultured,  nor  sensitive  feel- 
ing have  all  the  refinements  found  elsewhere,  but  those  under- 


134  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

lying  social  sentiments  of  which  we  have  spoken,  as  the  horror 
of  separation  and  of  free  love,  are  dominant.  They  prevail 
not  so  much  merely  because  they  are  physically  strong,  nor 
because  they  are  less  educated.  The  morally  strong  should 
also  be  physically  strong.  If  education  leads  to  physical 
degeneracy,  it  is  in  so  far  a  failure;  but  it  need  not,  either 
in  man  or  woman.  If  they  be  chaster  and  truer  to  nature  in 
sexual  relations,  of  course  that  is  a  virtue.  We  will  find,  I 
think,  among  these  people  largely  some  of  the  very  social  vir- 
tues we  have  emphasized,  which  are  the  compensating  factor 
for  vices.  Certain  forces  here  have  tended  to  disintegrate 
the  family,  and  these  people  from  another  clime  and  cul- 
ture bear  and  carry  at  least  for  a  while  their  former  social 
life  and  condition.  Why  not  imitate  the  virtues  and  avoid 
the  evils  and  vices,  receiving  as  well  as  imparting,  to  form 
the  future  American? 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Effect  of  Eductaion  on  the  Family. 
( I )  Education  as  an  Aid  to  the  Family. 

IF  general  influences  in  the  American  Republic  seem 
to  be  tending  to  weaken  the  family,  at  first  at  least,  it 
would  appear  that  we  have  a  help,  even  an  economic 
family  support,  in  the  millions  of  money  that  is 
taken  from  the  tax  payers,  and  disbursed  promis- 
cuously for  the  children  of  all,  in  our  system  of  public  educa- 
tion. Also,  if  the  care  of  children  be  a  burden,  it  must  not 
be  overlooked  that  we  have  thousands  of  secondary  mothers 
in  the  public  schools,  affording,  if  all  were  counted,  years  of 
relief  from  work,  anxiety  and  attention  to  the  mothers  at 
home.  Public  education  was  at  one  time  deemed  a  charity: 
if  so,  this  is  the  greatest  charity  of  all.  One  might  well  say, 
if  this  does  not  assist  the  family,  it  is  because  by  the 
law  of  disuse  parents  are  losing,  even  by  this  beneficence,  their 
devotion  and  activity  for  their  children.  Farther,  we  have 
the  spectacle  here,  unusual  as  compared  with  other  coun- 
tries, of  children  reared  in  poverty  rising  in  a  generation  to 
positions  of  affluence  and  power,  and  thereby  becoming  a 
source  of  the  greatest  pride  and  reward  to  parents.  Not  only 
is  there  a  disposition,  at  the  expense  of  the  state,  to  prepare 
the  youth  for  good  citizenship,  and  the  enjoyment  of  life  by 
culture,  but  also  to  prepare  them  for  trades,  occupations  and 
to  earn  a  livelihood.  Indeed,  the  public  school  system  is 
our  greatest  stride  towards  state  socialism.* 


*A  tendency  towards  socialism  is  not  necessarily  bad,   though  the   extreme  ideal 
of   socialism  may  be  the  destruction  of  civilized   society. 


136  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

(2)  Coeducation. 

Every  change  in  a  social  system  carries  with  it  hidden 
forces  for  good  or  ill.  Seldom,  if  ever,  are  the  main  effects 
foreseen.  It  was  argued,  since  the  fireside  is  the  great  nur- 
sery for  culture  and  the  mother  the  great  teacher,  since 
heredity  through  her  is  so  paramount,  therefore  the  educa- 
tion of  women  is  the  readiest  method  even  for  the  culture 
of  the  race.  Farther,  that  there  is  a  large  leisure  class  among 
them,  freed  from  the  noisy  distracting  jars  of  business  strife, 
where  serene  learning  could  find  a  most  fruitful  field.  A 
sense  of  justice  and  spirit  of  generosity,  as  well  as  her  own 
rising  ambition,  also  entered  into  the  causes  that  have  led  to 
woman's  relatively  high  advance  in  education. 

In  the  higher  class  work  and  examinations,  though  at  first 
disputed,  she  seemed  to  equal  or  excel  her  male  competitor. 
Not  satisfied  with  the  high  school  and  the  normal  school,  the 
glittering  fame  of  college  graduation,  at  the  same  institu- 
tions and  with  the  same  course  and  degree  as  young  men, 
drew  her  on,  and  here  also  she  seems  to  maintain  a  high 
parity  with  them.  If  equal  intellectually  in  scholarship,  why 
not  in  everything,  and  why  not  have  the  same  ambition, 
career  and  ends?  Propinquity  between  the  sexes,  as  before 
mentioned,*  tends  to  produce  either  love,  or  sexual  dislike  or 
indifference.  Now  in  collegiate  coeducation  where  the  atten- 
tion is  or  should  be  so  exclusively  fastened  upon  learning  and 
a  future  career,  propinquity  has  the  effect  generally  to  pro- 
duce indifference  or  even  sex  aversion.  The  ideal  of  the 
young  woman,  her  training  and  her  environment  being  sim- 
ilar, becomes  substantially  the  same  as  the  ideal  of  the  young 
man.  A  future  career  opens  up  to  her  as  to  him,  with  like 
hopes,  expectations  and  claims.  Soon  there  is  a  belief  not 
only  of  equal  ability  and  opportunity,  but  of  equal  power, 
endurance  and  capacity  to  earn.    Likeness  of  sex  becomes  the 


*See  Chap.   XVI,  Tendency  to  Free  Love,  Sec.  4. 


THE  EFFECT  OF  EDUCATION  137 

goal.  However  much  the  young  man  may  dispute  this  ideal- 
ized likeness,  it  stands  visualized  in  the  school  as  the  living 
reality  before  him,  and  the  general  effect  upon  all  is  to  pro- 
duce a  growing  tendency  to  the  belief  of  sex  identity. 

(3)  Paralyzing  Antinomies. 

But  if  equal  to  tread  the  paths  of  learning,  walk  in  the 
academy,  and  side  by  side  sit  and  sip  the  deepest  truths  of 
philosophy,  why  not  also  to  ply  the  hand  and  work  the 
nimble  fingers  in  outside  industry?  One  idea  idealized  and 
propelled  along  by  an  ever  growing  narrow  logic,  outstrips 
all  others,  and  an  Utopia  that  women  must  grasp  and  hold 
the  economic  prize  is  formed. 

The  young  man  from  the  college  steps  out  to  view  the 
world  about.  The  trades  are  mostly  filled  by  newcomers 
from  abroad  getting  good  pay  through  unions,  and  on 
account  of  the  general  dislike  for  manual  work  among  the 
educated,  while  the  schools  including  normal,  high  schools 
and  colleges,  turn  out  their  thousands,  nearly  two-thirds  of 
the  graduates  of  which  taken  together  are  women,  to  fill  the 
professions  and  clerical  positions  unprotected  by  unions.  The 
cry  of  "equal  pay  for  equal  work"  had  the  effect,  when  there 
was  a  union  to  keep  the  women  out,  by  the  test  of  equal  work, 
but  where  there  was  no  union,  to  drive  the  men  out  by  the  test 
of  lower  pay.  The  women  fill  thirty-four  per  cent,  of  the  pro- 
fessions, and  about  as  much  of  all  positions  suited  in  the  first 
instance  to  the  educated,  and  by  their  bent  and  occupation 
in  this  line  lose  taste  and  skill  for  the  manual  labor  and  the 
close  economy  of  the  home.  They  are  more  docile  and  more 
popular  with  their  masculine  patrons,  and  often  receive  more 
pay  or  are  preferred.  Even  messenger  girls  chase  the  streets, 
and  news  girls  become  attractive  to  the  men.  Remuneration 
and  wages  are  cut  down  by  a  double  competition,  the  cost  of 
living  increases,  and  family  economy  is  blocked  for  the  pos- 
sible head  both  ways,  by  a  more  difficult  and  lesser  income 


138  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

and  by  a  greater  outgo.  Now  there  is  presented  to  this 
young  collegian,  the  family  system  fortified  by  law  and 
custom,  wherein  he  is  expected,  as  head,  to  be  the  sole  pro- 
vider and  bear  the  burden  and  responsibility,  and  there  arise 
in  his  mind  when  contemplating  matrimony  some  perplexing 
problems,  said  to  be  "transitional"  which  I  shall  call  the 
paralyzing  intersex  antinomies.*  They  are  somewhat  as 
follows : — 

*'I  am  thy  equal  to  do  and  endure;  but  thou  must  bear 
the  burden.  I  am  thy  equal  to  think  and  reason,  and  with 
the  right  equally  to  determine ;  but  thou  must  bear  the  blame. 
I  am  thy  equal,  as  to  the  right  to  spend,  but  thou  must  earn. 
I  am  thy  equal  in  the  right  to  wield  the  sword  of  law,  but  it 
must  fall  chiefly  on  thee." 

These  antinomies  seem  to  be  actual  contradictions,  and 
when  he  attempts  to  take  and  believe  them  both  together, 
reason  and  belief,  love,  courage  and  enthusiasm,  are  para- 
lyzed and  staggered,  and  with  them  action.  The  germ  of  the 
possible  family  is  smothered.  A  very  horror  of  marriage, 
almost  the  worst  possible  social  condition,  arises.  We  will 
however  suppose  him  to  be  equal  to  the  task  of  surmounting 
the  difficulty.  He  will  assume  that  still  he  is  the  master  with 
greater  power,  but  with  a  coextensive  love  and  duty,  yet 
ready  to  hand  the  reins  and  give  the  load  to  his  fair  friend 
when  she  will  take  the  blame  and  bear  the  burden. 

Perhaps  with  more  space  than  they  are  worthy  of,  have 
been  presented  the  foregoing  antinomies.  They  are  after  all, 
a  "fool's  puzzle,"t  that  springs  from  an  attempt  to  adjust  a 
new  theory  of  an  identity  of  ideals  and  spheres  of  sex,  and 


•Compare  the  antinomies  of  Kant. 

tThe  antinomies  of  Kant  are  said  to  be  a  "fool's  puzzle".  Kant's  four  antinomies 
arc: — ist  the  world  is  limited  in  space  and  time  (and  contra):  and.  The  world  con- 
sists of  parts  that  are  simple  and  composite  (and  contra) :  3rd.  The  world  admits  of 
causality  through  freedom,  and  (contra),  there  is  no  freedom  but  the  necessity  of 
law:  4th.  The  world  implies  the  existence  of  an  absolutely  necessary  being  (and 
contra). 


THE  EFFECT  OF  EDUCATION  139 

a  struggle  for  the  same  tasks  and  powers,  to  a  condition  of 
society  based  upon  different  duties  and  different  powers, 
wherein  the  man  is  held  solely  to  the  final  accountability. 
Love  is  not  a  solvent  of  these  antinomies,  but  it  may  open  the 
eyes  and  clarify  the  vision  of  reason,  to  see  the  surpreme  rule 
that  responsibility  and  power  can  never  be  severed. 

(4)    Higher  Education  of  Women. 

Perhaps  the  mistake  in  the  higher  education  of  women  has 
been  not  that  it  is  high,  but  higher  than  that  of  men.  The 
argument  for  mutual  companionship,  where  heart  drawn  by 
nature's  charm  of  sex  affinity  touches  heart  in  a  common 
atmosphere  in  the  sweet  unity  of  deepest  feelings  and  most 
hidden  truth,  where  a  flash  of  kindly  fire  sparkles  from  the 
contact  of  different  currents  lighting  up  the  dim  cold  world, 
is  too  strong  to  be  overcome. 

If  we  divide  the  faculties  into  two  fields,  the  more  mascu- 
line mind  or  intellect,  and  the  more  feminine  soul  or  sensibil- 
ities, we  shall  find  that  the  former  seeks  to  catch  and  cull 
relations,  is  a  warring  of  ideas,  whose  rest,  end  and  equilib- 
rium lies  in  the  harmony  of  truth,  and  whose  culture  is  sci- 
ence: while  the  latter  builds  by  first  glimpses  and  intuitions, 
by  golden  beams  of  light  from  the  subconscious  upon  the 
sensitive,  negative,  peaceful  waiting  heart,  the  joyous  thrills 
of  life — the  emotions,  the  groundwork  of  knowledge 
itself — and  its  culture  is  fine  art.  Intellect  needs  informa- 
tion, but  its  chief  culture  is  to  contest  and  think:  while  the 
sensibilities,  though  this  also  to  some  degree,  need  inspira- 
tion, leisure,  concrete  objects  to  call  forth  new  and  refining 
sentiments :  their  chief  culture  is  to  receive  and  feel,  while 
both  must  have  the  natural  outlet  into  action.  Now  our 
ordinary  schools  as  constituted  are  mostly  adapted  for  the 
cultivation  of  intellect,  but  they  have  grown  into  a  condition 
where  the  gathering  of  information  has  far  outrun  its  making 
up,  its  use,  digestion  or  transformation  by  thought.     They 


140  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

have  become  largely  feminized  by  an  over  accumulation  of 
facts,  in  which  woman  may,  as  to  intellect,  excel ;  but  they  are 
lacking  in  art,  which  is  her  natural  field.  The  learning 
acquired  is  often  more  that  of  pompous  voluminous  informa- 
tion, than  power  of  thought  evolved  by  modest  ardent  love 
of  truth. 

Mere  intellectual  culture  has  a  tendency  to  raise  the  sense 
of  superiority  and  self  esteem.  As  you  ascend  the  hitl  top 
of  learning  the  view  is  wider,  though  dimmer  of  everything 
below;  more  principles  are  taken  in,  more  relations  are 
conned,  and  more  wisdom  is  supposed,  especially  in  case  of 
little  superiority  of  learning.  This  breeds  the  tendency  and 
desire  for  mastery  and  control,  and  hardly  brooks  subservi- 
ence to  comparative  ignorance.  But  men,  as  husbands,  are 
still  to  stand  as  sponsors  for  the  family  ship,  and  therefore 
cannot  give  up  the  helm.  Thus,  women  being  educated  much 
beyond  them,  the  seeds  of  discord  are  planted,  grow  and 
spread,  and  with  the  raised  standard  of  living  and  her  accom- 
panying inaptitude  for  domestic  work,  tend  to  disrupt  the 
family. 

(5)   Physical  Culture. 

Life  and  health  have  always  been  the  first  demands  of 
nature,  and  the  nisus  towards  reproduction, — natural  love — 
requires  implicitly  the  fresh  flowing  blood  for  activity,  the 
nervous  vitality  for  zest  and  vigor,  the  sound  stalwart  flesh 
for  sexual  attraction,  and  the  strong  wiry  constitution  for 
impulse  and  passion.  If  the  cultures  of  romantic  love  have 
at  any  time  carried  a  notion  of  unlikeness  to  a  degree  that 
weakness,  puniness  and  physical  daintiness  have  been  made 
ideals  of  womanhood,  that  tendency  is  a  misdirection  of 
nature,  and  an  offense  to  the  better  judgment  of  sense. 

Of  all  the  modern  ideas,  no  one  is  better  than  the  revival 
of  physical  culture  in  the  schools.  This  is  a  key  to  unlock 
the  most  serious  diflliculties,  and  Is  almost  the  salvation  for  a 


THE  EFFECT  OF  EDUCATION  141 

system  of  universal  education.  If  the  educated  young  men 
need  strong  bodies  to  compete  with  their  fellows  in  the  indus- 
trial warfare,  still  more  do  the  educated  young  women,  to 
perform  the  duties  of  the  household  and  the  exigencies  of 
maternity.  In  both  cases  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  we  are 
on  the  threshold  of  a  great  reform,  and  that  in  the  future  It 
will  clearly  be  seen  and  practiced,  that  true  education  demands 
no  impairment  of  the  body,  and  that  the  educated  will  tri- 
umph over  any  such  small  obstacles,  as  inability  to  work,  or 
to  perform  the  most  precious  of  nature's  tasks,  the  perpetua- 
tion of  life. 

(6)  Effect  of  the  Schools. 

It  has  always  been  held  that  the  mother,  by  her  close  asso- 
ciation and  training,  largely  formed  the  character  of  her  chil- 
dren. It  might  be  asked,  who  are  the  modern  mothers 
through  the  susceptible  period  of  the  child's  life  in  school,  and 
what  are  their  family  views  and  domestic  notions?  Only 
guesses  can  be  made,  but  It  would  perhaps  be  safe  to  say,  the 
child  is  now  moulded  more  by  the  school  than  by  the  home. 
School  statistics  show  that  the  majority  of  school  girls  look 
forward  to  a  public  or  industrial  career,  rather  than  a  domes- 
tic life.  The  doll  instinct  seems  still  to  exist  with  very  little 
girls,  but  soon  to  vanish.  Housework  changing  In  diversity 
perhaps  every  few  minutes  to  them  is  drudgery,  while  some 
occupation,  which  thumps  and  thumps  the  same  the  livelong 
day,  is  elevating  and  attractive.  The  single  in  advancing 
years,  both  men  and  women,  often  turn  nature's  affinities  of 
sex  quite  the  other  way,  and  sweetness  by  a  strange  chemistry 
oft  takes  on  an  acid  tang,  to  which  woman  may  be  more 
liable  because  to  her  sex  Is  supreme.  Yet  contact  with  tender 
childhood  In  the  schools  may  keep  fresh  the  native  germs  of 
motherhood  in  woman,  a  foster  mother  tenderly  caring  for 
another's  child. 

For  teaching  the  young  child,  personality  and  love  loom  up 


142  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

as  the  chief  requisites.  It  is  true  that  a  few  men  of  genius,  as 
Pestalozzi  and  Froebel  caught  the  inspiration  from  young 
childhood  to  touch  and  train  its  tender  chords  of  life,  but 
it  is  no  less  true  that  this  is  woman's  natural  field,  while  to 
man,  (as  natural  as  his  muscle  or  his  courage)  is  the  love  of 
scientific  truth,  to  grasp  the  harmonies  of  conflicting  thought. 
His  method  for  discipline  by  impersonal  command  with  sure 
and  equal  consequence  for  breach,  is  more  suited  to  the  ad- 
vanced. Not  that  the  work  is  higher,  but  otherwise  It  would 
be  better,  if  more  men,  especially  married  men,  taught  the 
higher  branches  to  both  boys  and  girls  for  the  sake  of  both 
school  and  home, 

(7)    Family  Ideals, 

It  is  evident  that  the  public  school  system  might  be  made 
a  leading  support  to  the  family  by  cultivating  ideals,  if  not 
also  by  direct  training  in  domestic  pursuits.  The  value  of 
teaching  sewing,  cooking  or  house  decoration  is  not  chiefly 
in  the  knowledge  acquired,  but  in  the  aims  and  ambitions 
formed,  the  trend  given  to  the  individual  mind  and  the  social 
school  life.  The  child  is  a  plastic  living  wayfarer  started  on 
a  journey,  whose  direction,  course  and  end  the  teacher  con- 
stantly modifies.  Its  morals  cannot  be  left  alone  to  church  or 
home,  for  morality  pervades  every  act.  More  important 
than  its  national  ideals  or  its  industrial  ideals,  are  its  family 
ideals.  The  school  is  in  fact,  but  a  substitute,  a  farther 
execution  of  the  family  life,  an  enlarged  domestic  circle 
itself.  It  were  strange,  if  the  school's  influence  should  be 
hostile  to  its  very  source,  or  that  its  pupils  upon  graduation 
should  be  estranged  and  fly  from  the  family  state.  The  nur- 
turing of  ideas  that  cast  upon  the  home  life  a  beauty  and 
attraction,  turning  the  ambition  towards  household  economy, 
inculcating  the  more  specific  domestic  virtues,  and  creating 
in  youth  an  ardor  to  be  the  master  or  mistress  of  a  fireside. 


THE  EFFECT  OF  EDUCATION  143 

are  quite  as  essential,  as  incitements  to  patriotism,  worldly 
honesty,  or  a  business  career. 

Within  the  inner  sanctuary  of  the  family  and  the  church 
lie  the  institutional  codes,  the  moral  rules  and  inspirations 
which  are  fundamental  to  social  life.  The  family  has  its  own 
Bible,  though  unwritten  except  upon  the  heart,  consciences 
and  traditions  of  the  people.  There  is  no  prohibition  of  this 
book  in  the  schools,  nor  is  it  to  be  burnt  or  cast  aside,  and 
whenever  a  people  have  forgotten  or  lost  its  sacred  pages, 
or  suffered  their  minor  institutions  to  blot  it  out,  they  are 
doomed  forever. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Survival  of  the  Underlivers. 
( I )  The  Underliver. 

POLITICAL  economists  have  laid  down  the  law 
that  population  increases  with  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence. But  it  is  further  laid  down  as  a  law, 
that  individuation  or  applying  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence to  the  individual  life,  is  in  inverse  pro- 
portion to  reproduction,  or  applying  such  means  to  other  life. 
This  latter  law  or  principle  is  the  same  when  viewed  from  a 
personal  standpoint,  as  that  a  person  is  restrained  from  mar- 
riage or  a  family  by  the  economic  reason  of  expense,  and  the 
measure  of  that  restraint  depends  upon  the  difference  between 
his  income,  and  the  prospective  cost  to  him  of  such  family. 
His  cost  of  living  depends  upon  his  standard.  Therefore  we 
have  the  general  law,  that  population  increases  with  the  dif- 
ference between  the  means  of  subsistence,  and  the  standard  of 
living. 

When  one  is  associated  with  others  and  possesses  a  like 
income,  but  has  a  lower  standard  of  living,  the  constant 
restraint  upon  him  is  proportionately  less,  he  "underlives" 
them,  he  reproduces  and  survives.  It  seems  to  me  that  this 
is  a  chief  practical  law  to  be  applied  in  studying  the  intricate 
question  of  the  growth  of  population,  rather  than  that  the 
poor,  or  ignorant,  or  underfed,  or  imprudent,  or  physical 
laborers,  necessarily  reproduce  faster,  where  no  moral  prin- 
ciple is  considered.  This  law  applies  especially  where  differ- 
ent people  with  a  different  standard  of  living  are  mixed  in 
any  community.    It  will  explain  to  a  large  extent,  the  survival 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  UNDERLIVERS         145 

of  particular  elements  in  the  population,  not  only  in  this  coun- 
try but  throughout  the  history  of  the  world. 

(2)  Industrial  Invaders. 

A  superior  conquering  race  dominating  another,  caste 
firmly  fixed  by  custom  as  in  the  South,  or  other  conditions 
that  engender  distinct  and  separate  classes,  tend  to  counter- 
act this  law  arising  from  different  standards,  but  where  com- 
petition is  full  and  free,  as  among  the  northern  people  of  the 
United  States,  the  law  has  a  decided  effect.  It  is  said  that 
the  modern  Greek  is  mostly  Slavic,  and  has  but  little  "heroic" 
blood  in  his  veins.  Probably  the  distinct  Old  Roman  race  is 
entirely  lost.  The  Normans  have  left  but  little  of  their  actual 
blood  in  the  modern  Englishman.  The  long  headed  Teuton, 
the  descendant  of  the  Franks  and  German  invaders  of  Gaul, 
seems  to  be  disappearing  from  the  population  of  France. 
Aside  from  the  dissipation,  effeminacy  or  degeneracy  of  a 
nobility,  or  the  depravity  or  disregard  for  race  morality  of  a 
people,  this  constant  force  of  survival  would  operate  and  fin- 
ally supplant  one  element  by  another.  It  is  true  that  as  a 
society  becomes  homogeneous,  the  standard. of  living  tends 
to  become  equalized,  but  many  years  or  generations  may 
ensue  before  the  elements  of  a  population  are  assimilated,  or 
new  elements  of  a  different  standard  may  be  constantly  pour- 
ing in,  so  that  the  original  population  or  some  particular  por- 
tion of  a  people  may  be  overwhelmed. 

To-day  the  question  is  not  so  much  the  invasion  and  con- 
quest through  war  by  a  foreign  race,  but  conquest  by  indus- 
trial invaders,  who  may  in  a  different  way,  as  decidedly  as  in 
the  former  case,  extirpate  man,  woman  and  child.  It  is  said 
that  a  Chinese  or  Japanese  family  can  live  on  thirty  cents 
a  day.  We  have  seen  that  here  the  Chinese  appear  to  be  able 
to  continue  their  standard  of  living  indefinitely.     On  such  a 

10 


146  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

standard  of  living,  should  they  come  over  here  in  large  num- 
bers under  free  immigration,  working  gradually  as  they  might 
in  all  the  various  occupations,  they  could  in  a  hundred  years 
extirpate  or  drive  out  nearly  every  white  man  in  the  country. 
It  might  be  asked  which  was  wiser,  the  working  men  of  San 
Francisco  acting  perhaps  from  feeling  or  instinct,  or  some 
Eastern  statesman  blandly  sitting  in  a  philosophic  chair 
and  wasting  pages  of  mellifluous  logic  on  the  principle  that 
this  country  must  be  free  to  all ! 

(3)  Standard  of  Living. 

A  fair  standard  of  living  is  embodied  in  the  ideal  of 
American  family  life.  The  artistic  home,  the  fittingly  clad 
children  with  enough  to  buy  the  small  treasures  for  their 
fondest  sports  and  joys,  the  opportunity  to  allow  them  the 
time  for  education ;  the  recreation,  the  comforts  and  suitable 
leisure  for  parents,  who  also  are  the  same  developed  chil- 
dren, who  love  to  play  with  books  by  sights  and  talk,  if  not 
with  toys — these  all  are  held  as  the  cherished  hope  and  her- 
itage of  American  life.  They  will  hardly  be  dispensed  with, 
however  willing  the  father  to  be  saving,  the  mother  to  be 
economical,  and  both  by  every  ingenuity  from  special  work 
and  art,  to  eke  out  a  modest  income.  But  everything  depends 
upon  their  income.  If  "they  cannot  compete  with  the  pauper 
labor  of  Europe,"  they  certainly  cannot  compete,  whether 
that  labor  be  there  or  here;  but  there  it  may  be  handicapped 
by  inferior  machinery,  methods  or  customs.  Here  all  these 
differences  disappear,  and  the  foreign  competitor  comes  forth 
coequal,  perhaps  superior,  to  obtain  the  daily  wage,  but  with 
his  lower  standard  fixed  at  least  for  years.  At  least  a  genera- 
tion ensues  before  the  newcomer  acquires,  if  at  all,  a  new 
standard,  and  then  on  comes  another  host,  and  so  repeatedly. 

It  will  be  noticed  by  the  tables.  Tables  III-VII,  Column  13 
that  foreigners  in  forming  population  count  for  three,  four 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  UNDERLIVERS         147 

and  sometimes  five  times  as  much  as  native  born  Americans. 
Of  course  at  this  rate,  and  considering  the  recent  tide  of 
immigration,  it  would  not  take  so  long  to  transform  and 
perhaps  again  and  again  retransform  an  American  people. 
Thus  under  such  conditions  a  fair  standard  of  living  must  go 
down,  or  else  a  constant  flood  of  strangers  pour  in  submerg- 
ing the  former  people  and  institutions  as  fast  as  formed,  and 
any  ideal  of  a  future  American  nationality  would  be  based 
upon  a  chimera  unutterably  visionary. 

(4)  Causes  of  Infertility. 

A  close  causal  connection  may  be  noticed  between  the  influx 
of  a  large  foreign  population  and  the  subsequent  Infertility 
of  the  original  one.  First;  wages  especially  In  the  lower 
laboring  fields  are  lessened,  and  then  the  old  residents  feel  a 
stress,  and  many  seek  other  callings,  especially  those  away 
from  manual  labor  and  that  are  indoors.  By  this  they  may 
be  weakened  physically,  and  their  standard  of  living  raised 
still  higher.  Again,  there  is  a  struggle  at  first  to  form  a  caste, 
and  little  to  base  It  on  except  wealth,  which  must  be  shown 
by  greater  expenditures  and  less  economy.  This  raises  the 
standard  and  tends  to  debar  the  possibility  of  a  family.  Also 
the  original  people  flock  to  the  cities  where  their  standard 
speedily  rises  much  higher,  nor  would  they  then  venture  upon 
the  family  life  at  all,  under  the  conditions  of  the  foreigner. 
Even  If  the  original  population  rise  higher,  it  is  towards 
clerical  and  professional  pursuits,  which  are  not  so  favorable 
to  reproduction ;  for,  aside  from  the  physical  causes,  in  these 
occupations  the  standard  of  living  as  compared  with  income 
is  relatively  higher.  Thus  the  original  people  are  constantly 
subject  to  a  stress  that  tends  to  lower  their  standard  and  limit 
population,  while  with  the  newcomers  there  is  no  such  stress, 
but  a  rising  standard  and  encouragement  to  the  family,  and 


148  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

the  former  acquire  a  habit  of  restriction,  both  as  to  marriage* 
and  offspring,  which  grows  and  spreads  and  distinguishes 
them  from  the  latter,  and  often  becomes  a  source  of  felicita- 
tion when  it  really  means  destruction. 

By  no  means,  is  this  the  only  or  chief  cause  of  infecundity 
among  the  primitive  population  in  the  northern  states.  Much 
greater  is  that  cause  that  arises  from  theories  of  sexual  rela- 
tions and  the  family,  but  it  will  explain  in  part,  why  in  so 
short  a  time  there  has  been  so  rapid  a  change  in  the  relative 
number  of  the  old  Americans,  and  show  generally  that  a 
large  foreign  immigration  tends  touproot  the  previous  people. 

It  is  further  evident  that  the  fact  that  a  majority  of  the 
foreign  population  have  settled  in  the  large  cities  is  a  check 
to  their  relative  predominance,  and  also  that  such  city  resi- 
dence tends  to  spread  the  English  language  and  Americanize 
them  very  much  faster  than  when  they  settle  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts. This  fact  explains  in  part  the  relative  increase  of  the 
foreign  population  in  some  of  the  north  central  states,  as  Wis- 
consin, Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas,  where  they  have  largely 
settled  upon  farms,  although  the  old  Americans  there  were 
also  of  an  immigrating  and  vigorous  stock.  Yet  many  reform- 


*NOTE— THE  MARRIAGE  RATE.— The  statistics  of  marriage,  unless  closely 
scrutinized,  are  very  deceptive.  With  a  declining  birth  rate,  as  in  the  United  States 
from  5.6  persons  to  a  family  in  1850  to  4.7  in  1900,  which  present  rate  varies  from 
5.1  in  North  Carolina  to  4.1  in  Vermont,  a  stationary  marriage  condition  would  make 
an  increasing  per  cent,  of  marriage,  because  the  base  of  population  would  be  rela- 
tively less,  having  fewer  children.  A  population  of  younger  adults,  or  with  improving 
means  of  subsistence,  would  increase  the  marriage  rate;  while  an  increasing  rate  of 
divorce  with  remarriage,  and  bigamous  or  irregular  marriages  would  enhance  the 
number  of  marriages.  The  census  of  1900  shows  in  the  aggregate  for  all  ages  a  slight 
increase  in  the  marriage  rate  over  1890,  which  might  be  explained  by  a  declining  birth 
rate,  or  in  part  by  a  greater  prosperity  in  the  years  prior  to  1900;  but  the  actual  mar- 
riage condition  must  be  based  on  adults  only,  and  the  census  of  1900  shows  a  /atj 
percentage  of  married  females  of  the  age  of  20  years  and  over,  and  of  married  males 
of  the  age  of  30  years  and  over  than  the  census  of  1890.  Of  persons  20  years  of  age 
and  over  in  1900,  the  per  cent,  of  married  males  for  the  N.  Atlantic  Div.  was  62.9; 
for  the  S.  Atlantic  Div.,  66.8;  for  the  N.  Central  Div.,  63.9;  for  the  S.  Central  Div., 
67.3;  and  the  per  cent,  of  married  foreign  males  was  67.3  to  63.6  for  the  general 
population.  The  marriage  rate  here  increases  among  the  foreigners,  while  it  is  de- 
clining among  the  remaining  population  of  the  North,  especially  in  the  middle  classes 
and  those  engaged  in  clerical  and  professional  pursuits.  (Vol.  II,  U.  S.  Census  1900, 
Tables  XLVIII  &  XLIX  on  Conjugal  Condition). 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  UNDERLIVERS         149 

ers  ardently  advocate  that  the  drift  of  foreign  Immigration 
should  be  turned  away  from  the  cities  to  the  farms. 

(5)  A  Country  is  Its  People. 

The  right  of  self-preservation  Is  a  first  right,  and  Is 
supremely  moral.  Sometime  ago  the  world-loving  principle 
of  Henry  George,  that  the  land  like  air  and  solar  heat  belongs 
to  all,  and  that  every  one  should  only  own  the  personal 
product  of  his  labor,  was  widespread,  and  many  were  for  a 
time  captivated.  The  effect  of  that  doctrine  put  In  practice 
would  clearly  have  been  to  bury  an  established  people 
quickly  with  a  rushing  foreign  tide.  Not  even  would  there 
have  been  the  breastworks  of  established  property  to  stay  It. 
Any  socialistic  plan  that  veritably  destroys  the  genuine  rights 
of  property,  would  have  a  similar  effect. 

Its  people  are  the  bulwark  of  the  nation,  not  another  folk. 
Its  hoary  headed  mountains.  Its  massive  rivers  and  dashing 
streams,  Its  beauteous  lakes  rock-ribbed.  Its  vast  extended 
plains,  all  existing  for  ages  before  primeval  man — these  all 
alone  are  but  a  dreary  waste  without  that  self  same  people, 
folks  of  the  fireside  with  like  dreams,  hopes  and  aspirations. 
There  Is  no  country,  but  In  Its  life;  and  that  life  Is  not  a  pass- 
ing stream  alone,  but  rather  a  real  embodiment,  something  to 
see,  examine,  talk  about  and  love,  a  substance  enduring  for 
at  least  a  hundred  years  to  come.  Visions  of  a  future  people 
gathered  from  every  dumping  ground  of  Europe,  from  Asia, 
Africa,  the  frozen  north,  the  torrid  south,  with  strange  and 
uncouth  ideas,  customs,  religions  and  Institutions,  and  they 
overwhelming  all,  can  hardly  Inspire  patriotism,  nationality, 
love  of  country,  or  zeal  and  ardor  for  political  rights  and 
duties. 

Furthermore,  religion  is  a  race  instinct  for  the  preservation 
of  the  nation,  people  or  civilization.  It  Is  this  spirit  of 
religion  that  kindles  ardor  for  the  life  of  a  people  and  Its 
perpetuity,  and  when  It  wanes  or  disappears  in  any  person 


ISO  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

or  in  any  nation,  actual  interest  in  the  social  future  is  apt  to 
change  to  indifference,  or  a  cold  world  view;  the  marks  of 
decay  and  death  appear  at  the  top,  and  general  languor  or 
morbid  presentments  spread  throughout  that  people. 

To  preserve  a  fair  standard  of  living  and  ensure  national 
perpetuity  and  progress,  selection  should  not  be  limited  to  the 
farm  yard,  to  the  business  office,  to  marital  relations,  nor  to 
the  choosing  and  sorting  of  ideas,  but  be  extended  to  that 
whole  groundwork  and  constituency  of  teeming  life,  whence 
issues  forth  all  that  is  great  and  grand.  The  right  to  choose 
your  citizenship  is  paramount,  clearer  than  the  right  to  tax, 
in  order  to  fit  such  citizenship  when  here.  Soon  will  it  be 
seen  that  no  high  standard  of  living  can  be  maintained 
against  industrial  invaders  without  exclusion. 

(6)  Perils  of  Immigration. 

The  ethnologists  are  much  fascinated  with  the  idea  of  race 
intermixture,  the  crossing  of  not  too  disimilar  strains  or 
bloods,  thereby  producing  a  more  vigorous  type  with  better 
qualities  of  each  selected,  and  with  the  clashing  of  different 
ideas  and  customs  of  different  peoples,  that  cause  variation 
and  progress.  This  may  all  be  true,  but  assimilation  has  its 
limits.  Too  rapid  an  inpouring,  like  a  freshet,  washes  away 
the  foundations  and  structures  of  a  society,  and  its  plant  which 
might  be  quickened  into  new  life  by  a  gentle  rain  is  torn  up 
root  and  branch.  Genuine  growth  and  evolution  should  be 
slow:  the  new  things  that  arise  should  have  some  time  for 
trimming  and  adjustment;  else  they  become  fungous,  bane- 
ful thorns,  or  unshapely  overgrowths;  their  blossoms  are 
unfertile  and  their  rankness  turns  to  rust. 

It  is  true  also,  that  America  has  for  the  most  part  been 
peculiarly  fortunate  heretofore  in  its  class  of  immigrants; 
such  as  the  stalwart,  steady,  honest  German  steeped  in  sta- 
ble and  conservative  family  principles,  the  active  fiery  pro- 
gressive Irishman  who  becomes  so  soon  a  typical  American, 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  UNDERLIVERS         1 5 1 

the  Scandinavians  with  Viking  blood,  the  Bohemians  most 
advanced  of  the  Slavic  people,  the  French  Canadians,  who 
like  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans  can  boast  a  lineage  of 
nearly  three  centuries  residence  on  North  American  soil,  and 
many  others.  It  may  be  that  we  have  an  ideal  constituency 
to  build  up  a  great  nation,  Anglo-Saxon  in  language  and  in 
principles  of  liberty. 

But  granting  that  the  immigration  of  the  past  has  been 
desirable,  that  has  little  to  do  with  the  question  in  the  future. 
The  country  belongs  to  those  who  are  here.  Native  Amer- 
icans of  all  classes  may  well  note  the  trend  of  past  events,  the 
causes  that  tear  down  a  fair  standard  of  living,  disintegrate 
the  family  and  destroy  the  population,  and  preserve  them- 
selves and  have  regard  for  their  posterity.  There  can  be  no 
other  ideal  than  that  of  a  united  uniform  nationality  with  its 
special  cultures,  institutions,  history,  traditions,  literature  and 
art,  wherein  there  is  a  common  interest,  charm  and  love.  To 
realize  this  ideal  the  people  must  survive;  but  if  they  fail 
because  they  cannot  check  an  overriding  army  of  invaders, 
nor  select  their  citizens,  nor  stay  the  ravages  of  family  dissi- 
pation, whether  the  fault  be  moral  turpitude  or  a  blunder,  are 
they  fitted  to  survive? 

REFERENCES  IN   POLITICAL  ECONOMY. 

John  S.   Mill,   David   Ricardo. 

In  Biology,  Herbert  Spencer.  i 

Race  Instincts.     Lester  F.  Ward,  Benjamin  Kidd. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
Survival  of  the  Fittest. 
( I )  Survival  the  Ideal  of  Progress. 

THE  Idea  of  Survival  of  the  Fittest  does  not  come 
so  much,  as  many  suppose,  from  the  scientific 
theory  of  the  origin  of  species;  It  Is  rather  an 
embodiment,  a  paraphrase,  almost  a  synonym 
of  the  Idea  of  progress  Itself.  We  cannot  get 
rid  of  It  If  we  believe  In  progression  or  betterment.  For 
whether  in  the  selection  of  better  plants  or  animals  in  agri- 
culture, better  goods  or  Implements  and  better  processes  in 
making  them  In  manufacture,  better  means  of  transportation, 
more  skillful  managers  and  more  efficient  men  In  business, 
or  in  the  realm  of  reason  itself  we  constantly  throw  out  the 
false  and  spurious  and  retain  the  true;  in  all,  the  end,  the 
hope,  the  expectation,  is  that  the  fittest  shall  survive.  Drop 
that  hope,  and  gloom,  discouragement  and  despair  prevail, 
there  Is  no  optimistic  rainbow  for  cheer  or  promise,  a  dark 
blue  cloud  enshrouds. 

Now  what  Is  true  of  things  is  true  of  persons  and  of  life, 
and  what  Is  true  of  Individual  life  Is  true  of  social  or  group 
life.  There  is  no  possible  escape;  we  must  accept  the  doc- 
trine of  survival,  that  In  the  main  the  fittest  only  shall  live. 
Though  a  single  individual  of  the  group  may  serve  the  latter 
best  by  his  own  sacrifice,  yet  In  that  case  we  rest  upon  the  sur- 
vival of  the  group.  If  societies  must  wane  and  perish  for  bet- 
ter ones,  then  the  latter  are  better.  If  a  population  for  any 
reason  yields  to  another,  then  that  other,  for  the  world's  pur- 
poses and  for  progress,  Is  the  better,  and  If  better.  It  were  well 
to  know  the  reasons  why. 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST  153 

(2)  Feeling  and  Function. 

Animal  and  human  life  has  been  looked  upon  as  a  combina- 
tion of  feeling  and  function ;  feeling,  that  by  pleasure,  leads 
the  individual  to  a  proper  function  or  end  of  nature;  or  by 
pain,  wards  off  an  evil  or  danger.  Feeling  furnishes  the  emo- 
tions and  pleasures  of  the  soul;  while  the  intellectual  eye  may 
perceive  the  function  or  utility.  Every  feeling  has  its  corres- 
ponding use  or  function,  whether  that  function  be  perceived 
by  the  individual  or  not;  but  to  abuse,  to  turn  aside  or  thwart 
that  function,  is  to  mar  and  prostitute  the  course  of  nature. 

The  appetities  are  feelings  whose  functions  are  to  preserve 
life.  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  old  Roman  epicures,  after 
being  gorged  in  a  feast,  took  an  emetic  and  began  anew  the 
repast.  Intemperance  is  an  abuse  of  the  appetite  of  thirst 
for  drink.  Amativeness  like  other  appetites  is  most  natural, 
necessary  and  proper.  Its  abuse  lies  in  the  prostitution,  under 
any  circumstances,  of  its  function.  Pleasure  is  proper  when  it 
does  no  harm  and  follows  nature's  course.  But  pleasure  that 
violates  the  course,  the  plan,  the  function  of  nature,  and 
thereby  works  an  injury,  is  sin,  and  a  sense  of  it  rises  in  a 
natural  conscience  and  will  pervade  a  social  conscience.  The 
abuse  of  function  is  seen  in  the  infanticide  of  some  savage 
tribes,  and  in  feticide,  which  in  some  respects  is  worse  than 
the  former,  for  it  often  culminates  in  adult  death  and  the 
physical  deterioration  of  a  people.  Hence,  a  social  moral 
sentiment  has  arisen,  the  "horror  of  abortion,"  which  finds 
expression  in  the  church  and  criminal  laws.  Here  is  a  moral 
baseness  worse  than  that  of  the  abuse  of  eating  and  drinking, 
and  it  would  seem  quite  clear  that  its  penalty  should  be  a  non- 
survival for  unfitness. 

(3)  Malthusianism. 

Few  will  contend,  that  always  and  necessarily  the  greatest 
numbers  are  to  be  desired,  but  rather  that  a  well  regulated 
society  should,  so  far  as  possible,  discourage  the  increase  of 


154  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

the  defective,  the  paupers,  those  afflicted  with  hereditary  dis- 
ease, the  congenitally  criminal  if  such  there  be,  and  produce 
from  the  better,  stronger  and  more  inteUigent  and  moral 
classes.  This  is  the  greatest  field  for  selection.  Yet  nations 
have  always  grown,  spread,  colonized  and  scattered  their 
civilization  by  increasing  numbers,  and  to-day  that  feature 
mostly  explains  the  preponderance  of  the  leading  nationali- 
ties. 

The  Malthusian  notion  of  "the  prevention  of  population 
by  the  prudent,"  published  unmodified  and  in  hidden  terms, 
must  usually  have  the  effect  of  a  poisonous  drug,  sweetened 
and  spread  broadcast  to  the  undiscriminating  public,  the  gulp- 
ing prudent  and  the  dealer's  own  friends  and  patrons,  to  com- 
pass their  destruction,  though  this  drug  mightbe  salutary  to  the 
diseased,  administered  in  quiet  by  the  thoughtful  social  phy- 
sician.* There  is  a  moral  turpitude  in  the  public  doctrine  and 
preachment  of  a  limitation  of  population,  cast  abroad  and 
wending  its  viperous  way  throughout  society  until  a  spreading 
child  fear  like  a  contagion  permeates  a  people,  and  even 
horror  of  abortion  wanes  or  vanishes,  so  great  that  that  alone 
suffices  to  justify  their  non-survival.  It  is  the  old  idea,  "the 
fool  will  hang  himself,"  and  should  be  hung.  He  is  not  fit 
to  live. 

(4)  Spurners  of  Love  Unfit  to  Live. 

Where  doctrines  and  practices  arise,  that  chill  a  generous 
lover's  ardor  to  woo  and  wed  a  beauteous  modest  maiden 
with  instinctive  longing  to  fill  what  seems  an  empty  nook 
within  the  hidden  folds  of  her  pure  heart;  or  that  blast  that 
maiden's  naive   inclinations,   and  turn   her  in   an  unnatural 


•Unnaturalness  in  sexual  relations  in  wedlock  strikes  at  the  very  heart  of  mar- 
riage itself;  for,  if  prevention,  aside  from  abstinence,  is  right  and  possible  within  mar- 
riage, then  why  not  without,  and  then  why  marriage  at  all.  Without  a  religious  or 
moral  code  against  this  "unnaturalness,"  it  is  very  doubtful  that  a  clever  people 
could  long  survive.  American  society  is  to-day  remarkable  for  the  contrast  between 
the  rarity  and  horror  of  illegitimacy  and  the  frequency  of  promiscuity.  The  horror  of 
illegitimacy  exceeds  the  horror  of  abortion,  which  order  should  be  reversed. 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST  155 

course  afloat,  alone,  upon  an  unknown  sea  to  struggle  with 
the  tempests,  oft  in  despair  be  wrecked  in  life  and  character; 
such  doctrines  and  practices  are  so  bad,  that  quietly  they  must 
be  brushed  aside  by  nature's  law  of  extirpation. 

When  the  leaders  of  society  fail  to  see  that  Love's  own 
fountain  springs  from  the  strange  mutual  charm  of  unlike 
hearts;  that  thence  the  mother's  absorbing  sacrifice,  a  pat- 
tern for  the  world,  appears;  thence,  the  father's  pride  and 
providing  care,  brotherhood  and  sisterhood  and  the  blood 
bond — all  the  natural  forerunners  of  that  love  whose  golden 
clasp,  burnished,  gilded  and  anew  reformed  by  Christian  cul- 
ture, must  needs  bind  the  jarring  minds  and  hearts  of  men 
and  rising  civilization  and  distracted  governments;  and  when 
society  forgets  the  secret  of  its  rise,  and  spurns  or  lets  decay 
the  family,  then  doom  deservedly  awaits  it.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  preach  against  sex  warfare,  or  to  stand  affrighted 
before  the  spectacle  of  a  new  man  or  woman.  If  conscious 
intelligence  cannot  see  the  point,  then  nature  quickly  will, 
and  ordain  another  and  a  better  mode  of  life;  for  love  she 
must  have  anyway.  That  is  her  wand  to  lift  mankind,  and  if 
destroyed,  by  a  new  fountain  and  a  new  people  will  she 
build  anew. 

(5)   Unfit  Individualism. 

This  is  said  to  be  an  individual  age  when  the  jutting,  tow- 
ering, varying,  inventive  mind  of  the  one,  untrammeled  by 
the  perplexing  social  currents  of  the  many,  can  rise  by  new 
and  hitherto  unknown  flights.  I  do  not  find  that  culture 
comes  from  too  much  separation;  else  a  lone  pair  in  some 
north  European  forest  would  have  discovered  the  light  of 
civilization.  Sentiment  and  thought  itself  spring  chiefly  from 
the  interlacing  currents  of  human  intercourse.  Deepest  and 
most  recondite  feeling  comes  from  the  play  of  heart  on  heart, 
not  in  a  superficial  eddy  that  whirls — a  giddy  float  round  and 
round — but  in  the  deeper  waters  where  every  drop  touches 


156  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

and  moves  Its  fellow.  Too  much  Individualization  is  against 
both  individual  and  social  progress.  It  runs  to  selfishness, 
which  dries  up  the  springs  of  Inspiration  and  invention,  sets 
all  society  at  war,  blocks  connecting  currents,  and  breaks  the 
bonds  that  tie  the  industrial  world.  If  also  it  snaps  the  fam- 
ily knot  and  turns  affection  to  gall  and  bitterness,  there  is  a 
direful  evil  for  which  some  remedy  must  be  applied.  Again 
the  awful  chasm  of  destruction,  nature's  final  remedy  looms 
forth,  'if  thou  canst  not  see  and  prevent  disaster,  canst  not 
love  and  hatest  maternity,  thou  shalt  surely  die !'  Here  will 
the  penalty  of  ignorance  or  wickedness  be  the  same.  Unfit- 
ness Is  of  body,  mind  and  soul.  How  could  It  be  otherwise 
in  the  spherical  perfection  of  one  great  law?  Fitness  is  fit- 
ness everywhere. 

(6)   Reward  of  Love. 

But  are  the  grand  Ideals  of  liberty,  equality,  independence, 
and  the  reformation  of  society  to  be  ruthlessly  burled,  and 
the  universal  high  road  to  fame  be  deserted  except  by  few,  the 
rest  retiring  Into  quiet  jungles,  content  with  homely  joys? 
The  many  must  rock  the  cradle,  or  go  abroad  to  find  the  chil- 
dren bread.  For  forty  years  that  father  and  that  mother  have 
given  half  or  two-thirds  of  their  earnings  and  their  toil  to  chil- 
dren; but  that  other  one  has  spent  It  all  upon  himself. 
Would  not  nature  be  unkind,  not  to  reward  unselfishness, 
upon  which  she  most  depends  for  culture  and  enlightenment 
by  survival?  It  Is  said  that  our  society  is  becoming  encrusted 
and  hardened  by  commercialism,  which  is  endangering  our 
Institutions  and  the  dearest  pleasures  of  life;  that  sympathy 
is  largely  jerky  and  spasmodic,  feels  often  only  for  animals  or 
for  some  half  barbarian  in  a  distant  clime,  but  scarcely  for  Its 
brother  at  its  door;  that  magnates  of  wealth  would  even 
freeze  out  a  whole  people  for  a  few  more  dollars,  under  the 
petty  claim  of  a  mistaken  right.    This  should  not  survive. 

Two  prime  forces  are  the  cure  for  individualistic  selfish- 


SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST  157 

ness: — the  family,  nature's  first  institution,  to  generate  the 
chords  of  love;  and  the  church  whose  matchless  perfection 
lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is  circled  about  the  "Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness" whose  beaming  rays  of  love,  falling  on  those  first  nur- 
tured in  the  family,  shine  everywhere.  Thus  is  the  light  of 
love  kindled  into  dazzling  brilliancy,  and  with  love  in  the 
regenerated  family  comes  flowing  the  vigorous  stream  of  life. 
If  the  light  of  love  and  life  go  out,  then  will  the  world  be 
cast  in  darkness  and  become  a  cold  dead  planet  unfitted  to  sur- 
vive. 

REFERENCES. 

As  to   Survival  of  the  Fittest  and   Natural   Selection,   Charles   Darwin,    Alfred   R. 
Wallace  and  August  Weissmann. 

As  to  Feeling  and  Function.    Lester  F.  Ward,  Pure  Sociology,  P.   124. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

Interrelation  of  Industry  with  the  Family. 
( I )  The  Property  Right. 

WE  seem  to  be  living  in  an  age  of  the  reign  of 
coercion  by  property,  rather  than  of  coer- 
cion by  personal  sway.  Men  have  always 
been  and  always  will  be  moved  by  the 
forces,  love  and  fear;  but  in  the  course  of 
progress,  love  relatively  gains  upon  fear,  and  fear  relatively 
assumes  milder  forms  for  its  means  of  coercion,  as  from  a 
control  over  persons  by  virtue  of  a  personal  right  and  author- 
ity, to  a  control  arising  from  property  right.  To-day  in  this 
country,  the  remains  of  control  by  personal  right  lie  vested 
in  the  state  and  chiefly  over  children  in  the  family,  while  the 
control  by  property  right  regulates  industry,  and  is  mostly 
the  remaining  coercive  power  between  husband  and  wife  in 
the  family.  The  question,  therefore,  as  to  what  is  the  prop- 
erty right  comes  to  the  front  and  is  the  foremost  issue,  both 
in  industry  and  in  the  family.  The  foundation  of  property 
must  be  again  searched,  and  if  notions  concerning  it  be  wrong, 
they  must  be  righted  and  resettled.  At  the  bottom  all  the 
labor  struggles  circle  about  this  theme. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  modern  corporation  is  somewhat  of 
a  monstrosity,  that  it  has  by  law  rights  of  property  and  exemp- 
tions, as  the  freedom  from  personal  liability  and  criminal 
prosecution  of  the  corporators;  and  privileges  and  oppor- 
tunities, as  for  accumulations  of  capital  and  combination, 
that  no  private  person  enjoys;  that  it  is  a  privileged  creature 
of  the  state,  an  imperium  in  imperio,  and  should  accordingly 


INTERRELATION  OF  INDUSTRY  159 

be  subject  to  the  state,  and  only  exercise  its  functions  when  in 
harmony  with  the  interest  of  all;  that  it  is  a  plutocratic  gov- 
ernment, in  which  the  voting  and  control  is  by  stock  or  dol- 
lars, instead  of  by  stockholders  or  men,  and  in  this  respect 
wholly  unlike  the  method  of  the  general  government;  that 
by  this  plutocratic  method  of  voting  a  majority  of  stock,  never 
so  small,  absolutely  controls  the  minority  and  leaves  the  lat- 
ter subject  to  a  kind  of  piracy  at  the  mercy  of  its  captors. 
Also  that  this  form  of  corporate  organization  destroying  the 
Interests  of  smaller  investors,  necessarily  leads  to  the  vast 
accumulation  of  capital  into  one  or  a  few  hands,  destroys  com- 
petition, plunders  consumers,  and  leaves  the  laboring  man 
without  a  chance  of  choice  of  employers,  and  therefore  sub- 
ject to  an  Iron  rule  of  industrial  coercion  and  despotism. 
Hence  he  takes  to  his  only  course  a  counter  organization  by 
labor  unions,  which  seem  to  be  the  only  check  and  stay  to  this 
tide  of  property  domination.  The  middle  class  of  property 
holders,  being  crushed  between  the  upper  mill-stone  of  the 
corporations  and  the  lower  one  of  the  unions,  and  driven 
thereby  Into  a  fiercer  and  more  weakening  competition,  have 
become  so  timid,  so  confined  exclusively  to  business,  that  If 
dependence  were  put  upon  them  alone,  the  direful  forebod- 
ings of  W.  J.  Ghent  in  "Our  Benevolent  Feudalism"  might 
be  actually  realized. 

It  Is  evident  that  for  all  the  evils  that  may  be  presumed  to 
arise  from  the  foregoing,  there  Is  a  simple  principle  if  It  could 
be  executed,  that  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  the  property 
right  and  of  government  to  wit:  That  any  monopoly,  Indus- 
trial, governmental  or  military,  by  one  or  a  few,  must  be  sub- 
ject to  the  control  of  the  many  or  all  and  held  in  check:  that 
unrestrained  individual  control  by  means  of  a  monopolistic 
property  right,  so  called,  Is  upon  the  same  principle,  as  unlim- 
ited personal  control  by  means  of  military  power,  or  by  the 


i6o  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

ordinary  government  In  the  hands  of  Individuals  not  amen- 
able to  the  public,  which  constitutes  autocracy  and  despotism.* 

(2)  Democracy  and  Plutocracy. 

When  the  people  seek  to  escape  from  monopolies,  especially 
those  that  have  obtained  valuable  municipal  franchises  for 
little  or  nothing  or  are  about  to  seize  others,  and  they  study 
the  question  of  municipal  ownership  or  control  of  public  utili- 
ties. In  other  countries  so  prevalent,  they  find  this  condition : 
The  city  or  municipality  is  governed  by  votes  of  individuals 
irrespective  of  property,  while  the  tax-payers  are  the  sole 
direct  parties  in  interest  for  gains  or  losses,  whenever  any 
business  enterprise  Is  undertaken  by  the  aggregate  group. 
For  this  reason,  the  majority  of  voters — often  three-fourths, 
sometimes  nine-tenths — not  being  tax-payers,  have  no  sub- 
stantial Interest  as  to  the  profits  or  business  success  of  such 
enterprise,  and  It  is  handicapped  from  the  start.  This  system 
of  municipal  representation  by  heads  Irrespective  of  property 
is  the  contrary  to  the  corporation  system  of  property  control 
irrespective  of  heads,  wherein  every  share  of  stock  has  a  vote, 
and  both  are  unlike  that  Intermediate  form  of  control  in  the 
law  of  partnership  developed  by  a  protracted  evolution  of 
law  and  extended  experience,  whereby  both  heads  and  prop- 
erty control. 

Besides,  In  other  respects  constitutions  and  imperial  court 
decisions  have  fastened  upon  the  law  strangely  developed  and 
seemingly  wrong  principles  of  the  property  right,  that  the 
people  can  hardly  change,  if  they  would. f  It  Is  manifest 
therefore,  that  there  are  two  systems  of  representation  and 
power,  one  democracy  in  the  government,  and  another  which 


•Industrialism  or  militancy  may  be  equally  the  means  of  despotism.  Contra;  Her- 
bert Spencer  in  Principles  of  Sociologry. 

+As  an  instance  of  this  may  be  cited  the  famous  Dartmouth  College  Case,  where- 
by the  vote  of  a  municipal  council  or  legislative  body  granting  a  franchise  without 
reservations,  cannot  be  repealed  or  materially  modified,  on  the  ground  of  the  viola- 
tion of  contract. 


INTERRELATION  OF  INDUSTRY  i6i 

we  will  call  plutocracy  in  corporate  wealth;  that  these  two 
contrary  systems  incite  a  somewhat  furious  contest,  which 
centers  about  the  question  'what  is  the  real  property  right.' 
It  is  not  at  all  wonderful  then  that  that  question  should  be 
thrown  into  confusion,  bandied  about  from  lip  to  lip  of  the 
wiser  or  the  foolish,  until  often  great  numbers  lose  all  regard 
for  the  sacredness  of  property  and  forget  that  it  is  a  chief 
pillar  of  civilization.! 

(3)  Property  Essential  to  the  Family. 

Industry  cannot  be  carried  on  without  organization,  nor 
organization  exist  without  a  central  control,  and  that  control 
must  rest  in  the  owner,  the  party  in  interest  who  gains  or 
loses  by  the  result.  The  motive  to  labor  and  make  money 
rests  upon  the  expectation  of  possession,  management  and 
reward.  A  claim  of  the  right  to  be  employed,  accompanied 
by  a  claim  to  control  the  employer's  business,  blocks  the 
wheels  of  all  industry,  which,  without  legal  protection  against 
the  enforcement  of  such  claim,  will  depart  to  another  place 
or  country.  The  right  of  property  mutually  conceded  stands  as 
a  necessary  first  principle. 

Likewise  the  family,  which  is  also  a  business  or  economic 
society,  must  have  as  such,  a  control  by  the  party  who  has  the 
economic  interest  or  responsibility  to  preserve  its  unity,  con- 
tinuity and  efiiciency.  It  is  true  that  its  authoritative  head 
need  not  necessarily  be  limited  to  one  person,  as  the  husband. 
The  wife  may  assume  that  position,  taking  the  burden  of 
providing;  or  both  may  assume  it,  taking  the  burden  equally: 
But  as  in  industry,  the  right  of  property  stands  as  the  very 
basis  of  marital  permanency,  and  when  it  does  not  receive 


tThe  effect  of  the  monopoly,  "promoting"  and  corporate  greed  that  confronts  us 
to-day  is  to  destroy  property  and  national  wealth;  for,  wealth  in  the  long  run  will 
only  accumulate  where  the  owner,  who  has  justly  earned  and  saved  his  property,  is 
protected  in  its  enjoyment. 

11 


i62  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

legal  sanction  or  protection,  or  more,  when  the  law  tends  to 
destroy  that  right,  the  family  institution  must  totter,  decay, 
and  disappear.  The  tender  chords  and  fragile  bonds  of  love 
cannot  alone  preserve  the  economic  family,  any  more  than 
love  or  any  other  sentiment  alone  without  that  property  right 
can  preserve  any  other  economic  or  Industrial  society.  The 
right  of  property  must  be  supported  by  a  strong  social  senti- 
ment, an  unquestionable  authority,  and  when  that  sentiment 
wanes,  or  becomes  negative  by  contrary  theories  or  indiffer- 
ence, the  new  condition  ramifies  through  all  the  Institutions  of 
a  society,  Is  felt  no  less  In  the  family  than  in  Industry,  and 
has  everywhere  the  same  disruptive  effects.  The  whole  pres- 
ent Industrial  system,  and  the  present  family  system  depend 
for  their  perpetuity  upon  the  preservation  of  that  sentiment. 
Property  Is  sacred ;  it  is  not  merely  something  nice  to  own  or 
have,  but  more,  a  golden  band  that  ties  the  ripening  sheaves, 
the  long  awaited  harvest,  the  precious  gift  of  civilization. 
(4)  Parallelisms. 

Partly  at  least  from  a  certain  laxity  In  the  idea  of  the  right 
of  property  have  arisen  some  striking  parallelisms,  in  industry 
and  in  the  family,  which  we  have  before  called  paralyzing 
antinomies.*  They  seem  to  spring  from  a  new  awakened 
consciousness  suffused  with  an  aspiring  hazy  sentiment,  una- 
ble to  think  clearly,  where  the  claims  of  love  and  justice,  of 
benevolence  and  obligation,  of  moral  or  sentimental  right,  and 
legal  or  property  right,  which  must  In  every  case  be  kept 
separate,  are  all  confounded.  They  are  that  the  one  has  the 
right  to  be  employed  without  obedience,  to  be  protected  with- 
out acquiescence,  to  be  supported  without  yielding,  to  be  at 
once  both  dependent  and  independent;  that  the  other  must 
take  the  risk  without  discretion,  bear  the  burden  without 
power,  assume  the  blame  without  authority,  receive  the  con- 
sequences or  punishment  without  free  will  to  act.     These  are 


*See  Chapter  XVIII,   Sec.   3. 


INTERRELATION  OF  INDUSTRY  163 

all  the  misty  seeds  of  anarchy  that  lurk  about  misguided 
notions  of  property,  but  ready  at  any  time  to  spring  up  to 
strangle  government  itself.  If  they  have  been  more  conspic- 
uous in  the  family,  it  is  because  its  economic  nature  has  been  so 
illy  understood,  that  it  has  been  looked  upon  as  something  en- 
tirely separated  from  other  law  and  right,  founded  upon  au- 
thority alone  without  a  definite  reason,  when  the  truth  rather 
is,  that  the  family  system  with  an  authoritative  head,  as  care- 
fully and  particularly  set  forth  by  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter,t 
is  in  strict  conformity  to  economic  law,  it  being  understood 
that  the  head  is  the  provider.  No  other  system  of  perma- 
nent organization  is  possible. 

The  civil  law  at  its  very  birth  was  deemed  the  guardian 
angel  of  property,  which  is  the  product  of  toil,  the  result  of 
energy,  the  reward  for  intelligence,  the  consequence  of  thrift 
and  saving,  a  creation  by  man,  which  he  owns.  What  if  now, 
by  a  misconception  of  the  origin  and  nature  of  ownership,  by 
legahzed  monopolies,  by  discriminating  privileges,  by  political 
corruption,  by  loaded  scales  of  justice  or  one  sided  punish- 
ments, the  law  itself  should  be  an  instrument  to  property's 
overthrow. 
(5)    Let  Alone. 

If  progress  is  a  lightened  ship  wherein  the  heavy  power  of 
force  and  fear  gives  way  to  lighter  love  and  mild  persuasion, 
the  compulsory  law  must  gradually  lose  its  hold,  and  for 
trend  and  tendency  the  motto  be,  let  alone,  Laissez  Faire. 
The  limitation,  repealing  or  lessening  the  power  of  the  coer- 
cive law,  and  thereby  enlarging  the  scope  of  natural  freedom 
is  all  in  the  line  of  laissez  faire.  Some  bad  law  or  some  law 
once  good,  but  now  grown  out  of  place,  may  be  a  perfect 
thorn  in  a  social  body  and  prevent  the  natural  healing  of  a 
festering  sore. 

Private  enterprise,  or  to  work  for  oneself,  is  a  chief  incen- 


ti  Cor.  Chap.  VII,  Eph.  Chap.  V,  Col.  Chap.  Ill,  i  Peter  Chap.  III. 


i64  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

tive  and  cause  of  material  advancement.  That  is  why  busi- 
ness undertakings  by  individuals  are  generally  more  success- 
ful than  those  by  government,  why  small  concerns,  though 
lacking  in  the  economy  of  combination,  may  still  thrive  bet- 
ter than  vast  bodies  overridden  by  parasites.  If  the  law  by 
positive  and  especial  privileges  to  corporations  enables  them 
to  smother  individual  enterprise,  stifle  competition,  foment 
labor  disturbances,  engender  in  the  community  a  confused 
disregard  for  property,  and  thus  endanger  the  whole  indus- 
trial and  family  system,  to  curtail  that  law,  even  to  cut  off 
corporations  altogether,  (if  that  were  necessary  which  would 
not  be  the  case)  would  all  be  in  the  line  of  less  not  more  civil 
law,  and  more  of  the  operation  of  natural  law.  Or  if  busi- 
ness enterprise  can  be  conducted  with  greater  economy  and 
things  made  cheaper  by  large  concerns,  then  to  limit  the  pres- 
ent loose  powers  of  corporations,  so  that  small  stockholders 
could  invest  and  be  as  safe  as  others,  by  giving  them  an  indi- 
vidual voting  power  and  by  special  guards  and  restraints  upon 
majorities,  and  to  check  the  possibility  of  corporate  monop- 
oly, through  courts  and  the  provisions  of  statutes,  would  not 
be  more  of  the  coercive  power  of  property  through  law,  but 
rather  a  restriction. 

So  also  in  the  family,  which  for  ages  in  the  world's  his- 
tory has  been  able  to  maintain  itself  with  little  or  no  interfer- 
ence by  the  outside  government,  legislation  should  be  directed 
rather  towards  limitation  and  a  return  to  the  first  principles 
of  natural  justice,  to  a  property  right  based  upon  actual  earn- 
ing, and  a  contract  right  founded  upon  mutual  justice  and  the 
welfare  of  the  community.*      Some  would  have   deserting 


*As  the  right  of  property  is  based  upon  actual  earning  and  merit,  the  further 
advancement  of  the  legal  rights  of  married  women  should  lie  in  the  direction  of  their 
earnings  and  savings,  as  members  of  the  family  community.  This  commnuity  does 
not  bestow  upon  one  member  the  right  to  control  the  outside  earnings  of  the  other; 
for  that  would  destroy  the  idea  of  property;  nor  is  it  a  partnership  in  which  both 
parties  equally  must  earn  and  are  held  accountable;  for  where  one  party  alone  is 
responsible,  as  now  the  head  of  a  family,  a  partner's  right  in  the  other  would  de- 
stroy the  idea  of  responsibility.  This  community  should  rather  afford  to  either  mem- 
ber the  right  to  enforce  the  obligations  of  the  other,  and  to  share  in  its  accumulated 
fund  upon  its  discontinuance. 


INTERRELATION  OF  INDUSTRY  165 

husbands  sent  to  the  state  prison,  instead  of  as  now  to  jail. 
Others  would  have  a  general  United  States  law  of  divorce, 
whereby  exiles  from  kindred  and  fugitives  escaping  to  other 
states  from  an  impending  imprisonment  in  their  own,  for  fail- 
ure to  pay  alimony  to  separated  wives,  might  be  captured 
anywhere  and  brought  back  to  prison;  but  the  compulsory  law 
on  one  side  has  probably  been  already  carried  too  far.  The 
family  must  be  created  and  preserved  by  love  and  not  by 
force. 

(6)  Progress  a  Slow  Growth. 

It  is  said  that  society  is  plastic  and  it  has  been  likened  to  an 
ever  moving  changing  protoplasm;  but  this  simile  hardly 
meets  the  case,  unless  It  be  a  very  primitive  group.  An 
enlightened  society  is  more  like  an  advanced,  developed  bodily 
structure  with  stable  skeleton  and  frame  work,  with  organs 
fixed  and  static,  that  only  change  their  outermost  parts  and 
retain  their  form.  Growth  occurs,  but  in  the  lines  of  struc- 
ture; trimming  only  Is  possible,  but  if  too  far  or  deep,  it 
will  kill  the  body;  theories  of  new  cultures  are  good,  but 
often,  far  and  long  away  to  be  applied.  Political  reforms  are 
always  needed,  but  the  people  by  a  natural  Instinct  cling  to  the 
old,  though  bad,  for  fear  the  new  will  bring  a  dire  upheaval. 
Just  as  the  doctors  watch  for  nature's  cure  and  unforeseen 
suggestions,  so  the  statesman  will  patiently  await  the  people's 
beck  and  nod  and  stir  when  all  is  ready.  With  such  a  won- 
drous compound  as  the  social  body,  you  cannot  rush  and 
hurry,  and  as  yet  prevision  has  only  the  dimmest  sight.  The 
artificial  thorns  and  blocks  are  clearest  to  be  seen,  and  first  got 
rid  of.  In  legislation  It  Is  usually  more  necessary  to  repeal 
bad  laws  than  to  concoct  new  ones.  In  social  philosophy  it  is 
usually  better  to  beware  of  newfangled  theories  than  to  over- 
throw the  old  and  tried.  New  plans  and  ways  and  customs 
should  first  be  tried  by  a  kind  of  private  experiment  in  a 
laboratory  and  many  times  be  submitted  to  the  test  of  reason, 


i66  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

before  they  are  foisted  broadcast  upon  the  public.  Patience 
to  watch  and  wait,  to  think  and  hope,  and  to  believe  with 
cheer  in  an  ultimate  betterment,  should  characterize  every 
endeavor  in  social  reform.  The  politicians  are  not  all  bad; 
the  wire-pullers  have  their  service;  if  all  were  perfect,  there 
would  be  no  need  of  action. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

American  Individualism  and  the  Family. 

( I )  Origin  of  Group  Feelings. 

F  two  persons  should  meet  and  talk  upon  subjects  in 
which  each  had  opposite  individual  interests,  they 
would  naturally  disagree,  and  the  conflict  of  ideas 
would  check  and  keep  in  the  background  their  respec- 
tive differing  sentiments;  if  however  the  topic  should 
have  a  common  interest,  their  common  sentiments  would  grow 
and  tend  to  become  permanent.  So  in  any  group,  as  in  the 
family,  common  sentiments  arise,  and  by  a  slow  process 
increase  and  grow  until  they  become  a  part  of  the  social  mind. 
As  an  individual  must  have  feeling  to  lead  him  to  action, 
an  intellectual  power  to  enable  him  to  perceive  ends  and  the 
means  to  reach  them,  and  instincts  or  mere  impulses,  which 
are  feelings  given  directly  by  nature  to  guide  to  unforeseen 
ends;  so  must  a  society  have  common  feelings  for  its  action, 
common  impulses  to  social  ends,  and  social  instincts  caught 
by  imitation,  by  sympathy  with  the  group,  by  unhesitating 
obedience  to  authority,  or  prompted  by  a  mysterious  social 
nature,  and  these  instincts  are  mostly  blind  to  the  social  end. 
As  all  continued  life  requires  both  the  individual  and  the 
group  life,  so  must  there  be  in  every  individual  a  combination 
of  individual  feelings  and  group  feelings,  which,  with  refer- 
ence to  their  being  embodied  in  thought  and  represented  by 
ideas  we  may  call  sentiments,  and  with  reference  to  feeling 
and  the  acceptance  of  authority  are  beliefs.  The  family 
presents  the  most  perfect  type  of  a  social  body,  not  only 
because  it  has  the  natural  bond  of  love,  but  also  because, 


i68  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

being  small,  its  social  sentiments  are  stronger,  its  actual  mem- 
bers perceive  more  clearly  and  feel  a  greater  interest  in  the 
common  end,  than  a  large  society  which  must  depend  far 
more  upon  authority  and  race  instincts.  But  in  all  cases  every 
group  must  have  its  social  sentiments,  and  these  sentiments 
arise  by  a  slow  growth  that  comes  from  association. 

(2)  Cause  of  American  Individualism. 

The  social  sentiments  of  different  groups  are  different,  and 
where  such  groups  come  into  social  contact  and  intercourse, 
the  differing  sentiments  collide,  and  if  they  rest  simply  upon 
feeling,  authority  or  mere  belief,  and  have  not  become 
rationalized  so  that  the  social  end  is  clearly  perceived,  by  such 
collision  they  tend  to  lessen  and  vanish.  A  large  immigra- 
tion freely  spread  over  a  people,  education  and  extensive 
reading  that  bring  the  mind  into  contact  with  other  different 
social  ideas,  the  frequent  traveling,  commingling  and  changes 
of  location  of  a  people,  and  wide  business  intercourse,  all  have 
this  effect;  and  a  society,  as  in  America,  where  all  these  influ- 
ences are  paramount  and  the  elements  are  so  different,  tends 
to  lose  its  original  social  sentiments  and  bonds,  and  slide 
towards  the  individual  sentiments  and  ends,  and  thus  pro- 
duce a  type  of  individualism,  and  the  most  natural  and  ordin- 
ary end  for  such  individualism  must  be  the  acquisition  of 
wealth. 

The  materialistic  philosophy  has  likewise  produced  a 
very  great  effect  in  stimulating  the  popular  ambition  towards 
material  wealth,  towards  which  goal  there  Is  not  only  the 
stream  of  almost  all  the  men,  but  in  some  sections  one-third  of 
the  women,  which  latter  have  thus  been  withdrawn  from  the 
domestic  and  social  family  life  and  ideals.  But  human  nature 
must  have  sociability  the  love  of  which  is  inherent,  and  the 
tendency  of  social  intercourse  in  a  society  as  we  have  described 
will  be  towards  voluntary  associations,  temporary  organi- 
zations, clubs,  or  "society"  for  pleasure,   pastime,   fashion, 


AMERICAN  INDIVIDUALISM  169 

display,  or  mental  culture,  where  membership  is  shifting  and 
there  is  no  permanent  interest  in  a  common  end.  In  such  a 
society  mode  imitation  and  "fads"  which  may  be  nature's 
attempt  to  form  new  abiding  social  sentiments,  will  naturally 
be  prevalent.  Its  individualism  will  tend  to  diversity  of  ideas, 
and  with  them  to  great  activity,  though  not  necessarily  to 
high  culture;  but  also  it  will  tend  to  disunion,  discontent  and 
possible  disintegration,  and  to  the  breaking  down  of  authority 
and  obedience.  It  destroys  the  social  sentiments,  and  that 
is  a  reason  why  the  pulse  of  public  interest  is  so  weak. 

Time  only,  with  a  special  culture  towards  social  ends  and 
ideals,  will  succeed  in  building  anew  a  more  stable  society  for- 
tified by  new  sentiments  and  beliefs  or  by  the  old  renewed. 
The  people  of  a  nation  must  be  assimilated,  not  only  in 
language  and  outward  forms  of  government,  but  in  common 
hopes,  ideals,  traditions  and  purposes,  and  this  is  the  work 
of  generations,  chiefly  accomplished  through  cultures  within 
the  family  upon  the  common  soil. 

(3)  Individualism  Hostile  to  the  Family. 

Thus  we  have  in  every  human  breast  a  tendency  towards 
Individualism,  whose  idealized  ultimate  is  anarchy,  and  a  ten- 
dency towards  the  social  or  sociality,  whose  idealized  ultimate 
Is  socialism.  In  general,  every  person  and  every  people  float 
between  these  two  extremes,  and  this  people,  however  much 
the  rosy  dream  of  far  oft  socialism  may  appear  to  many, 
seems  to  be  somewhat  dangerously  near  the  line  of  anarchy; 
that  is,  its  individualism  is  extreme.  This  individualism, 
which  seems  to  be  a  feature  of  American  society  more 
marked  in  the  northern  states,  is  undoubtedly  a  powerful 
force  hostile  to  the  interest  of  the  family. 

Individualism  Is  a  repellant,  rather  than  an  attractive  force. 
It  tends  to  separation  and  contention,  rather  than  to  unifica- 
tion and  harmony  of  ideas.  It  may  develop  the  Intellect,  but 
rather  suppresses  the  refined  emotions.     It  may  tend  to  pro- 


lyo  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

gress  by  fostering  Invention,  but  rather  dwarfs  and  holds  in 
check  that  highest  inspiration,  that  comes  from  the  free  flow 
together  of  the  thought  and  feeling  of  the  many.  It  may 
spur  on  the  single  one  by  holding  before  his  very  clasp  his 
own  reward,  but  the  object  of  his  vision  becomes  contracted, 
his  aim  narrow,  and  his  end,  a  thing  that  affords  to  him  alone 
immediate  personal  pleasure,  such  as  money.  For  a  society 
it  is  a  force  that  makes  the  members  fly  apart;  it  cools  ardor, 
dampens  affection,  stifles  sympathy  and  withers  love.  The 
ideas  of  two  persons  or  of  many,  like  their  feelings,  may  flow 
and  fuse  together  like  the  reproductive  cells  of  sex,  and  form 
a  unity.  This  force  repels  them,  or  like  fission  divides  one 
into  two,  and  what  was  'right'  to  both,  one  thing  single  and 
clear,  now  shuffles  into  two,  'my  right  and  yours.'  Contention 
winds  its  snaky  form  between  the  differing  thoughts  till  sparks 
of  anger  drive  the  souls  apart. 

(4)    Past  and  Present  Bonds. 

In  a  simpler  former  society,  the  relation  of  husband  and 
wife  had  for  means  of  unity:  First,  the  iron  band  of  personal 
authority  and  coercion,  without  even  a  possible  dispute  as  to 
right  of  property;  Second,  the  privative  restraint  in  the  use  of 
property  or  things,  with  little  interference  by  courts  or  law; 
Third,  an  imperative  conscience  that  forbade  almost  any 
thought  of  a  possible  dissevered  unity;  Fourth,  a  law  when 
interposed  compelling  restitution  of  marriage,  and  seldom,  as 
now  too  often,  waving  a  two-edged  sword  of  divorce  or  sepa- 
ration; and  Fifth,  the  same  ties  of  love,  children  and  home 
that  have  ever  existed,  though  perhaps  some  of  these  have 
become  stronger  with  advancing  years.  Besides  that  former 
society  was  stable,  and  permeated  with  the  spirit  of  con- 
servative sociality  rather  than  radical  individualism.  Family 
unity  was  then  comparatively  a  simple  thing.  It  did  not  need 
three  or  four  years  of  love  making  to  determine  whether  the 
affinity  were  strong  enough  to  bind.    Without  a  day  of  court- 


AMERICAN  INDIVIDUALISM  171 

ship  love  would  after  marriage  spring  up  in  its  firm-fenced 
garden,  without  a  chance  to  lose  itself  outside.  Now,  many 
of  these  marital  bonds  are  broken  and  some  made  by  the 
very  hand  of  nature  seem  to  be  strained  and  weakened,  as  the 
tie  of  children,  the  natural  right  to  property  and  the  enforce- 
ment of  economic  law,  the  right  to  security  endangered  by  a 
stormy  atmosphere  of  marital  litigation,  and  natural  love 
tainted  by  a  spirit  of  sex  warfare ;  and  perhaps  Vv^orse  than 
all,  an  arrogant  individualism,  on  pretense  of  equal  rights  or 
superior  claims,  scatters  selfishness,  disagreement,  discontent, 
dissension  and  disruption  through  the  common  mind,  until, 
if  a  break  occur  in  that  once  happy  home,  the  eager  tongue  of 
scandal  spreads  before  delighted  ears  the  sacred  secrets  of 
love's  inmost  cloister. 

(5)  "Young  America." 

As  evidence  that  American  society  is  pervaded  with  indi- 
vidualism, the  case  of  the  spirit  of  the  youth  "Young  Amer- 
ica" may  be  taken.  There  has  been  no  especial  change  in  the 
power  of  parents  to  control  their  children.  They  have  as  to 
them  the  same  right  of  personal  coercive  sway,  the  full  control 
of  property  and  its  privative  sanctions,  as  of  old,  together 
with  the  assistance  of  the  formulated  discipline  of  the  schools. 
Yet  the  children  soon  catch  the  spirit  of  independence,  often 
of  insubordination,  chafe  under  authority,  fail  to  imbibe  the 
imperative  nature  of  law  and  moral  conscience,  so  that  upon 
their  young  imperious  hearts  "I  must"  is  rasping  and  dis- 
tasteful. 

A  strange  confounding  of  the  different  fields  of  discipline 
and  love  starts  from  the  home  itself  individualized  and  weak- 
ened in  control,  but  is  most  striking  in  the  schools,  augmented 
there  by  the  tenderness  of  parents  and  often  by  their  inter- 
ference, but  also  largely  caused  by  the  effeminate  character 
of  teachers.  Discipline  should  be  masculine,  imperative,  once 
spoken.     Its  type  is  in  the  military  and  industrial  regime, 


172  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

which  is  like  the  law  of  nature  and  knows  no  parleying.  That 
discipline  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  all  character.  It 
is  the  source  of  all  energetic  and  decisive  action,  of  the  per- 
formance of  duty,  nay  of  the  definite  accuracy  of  all  thought 
and  execution.  It  needs  but  little  love,  and  less  diplomacy. 
Love  has  a  separate  field ;  to  raise  and  inspire  the  teacher, 
and  to  exalt  the  good  and  duteous  pupils. 

Even  more  observable,  perhaps  just  at  present,  than  the 
wild  roystering  conduct  of  the  boys  who  are  supposed  by 
nature  to  be  overflowing  with  pent  up  activity,  is  a  bold, 
forward  immodest  behaviour  of  many  girls  whose  instincts 
should  rather  guide  them  to  a  more  docile  and  modest  gentil- 
ity. All  this  is  bad  material  for  the  home,  which  like  the 
farm,  the  workshop  and  the  factory  needs  discipline,  however 
much  suffused  with  love  in  its  own  sphere. 

(6)  The  Home  is  the  Remedy. 

If  now  this  people  are  somewhat  in  a  whirling  eddy  of  des- 
perate individualism,  which  Nietsche  would  have  delighted 
in,  which  in  its  last  throes  and  clutch  for  gold  has  filled  the 
country  with  an  army  of  freebooters  and  promoters  like  the 
buccaneers  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  it  would  be  well  to 
swing  the  rhythmic  pendulum  of  the  spirit  of  the  times  a  lit- 
tle to  the  other  side  towards  sociality.  Is  it  not  a  foresight 
of  this  necessity  that  makes  the  interest  in  sociological  study? 
The  church  solicitous  for  society  sounds  its  alarm,  and  the 
close  student  finds  religion  to  be  one  of  the  necessary  forces 
of  nature  to  generate  and  preserve  social  instincts,  to  inspire  a 
social  body  towards  a  great  career,  and  fire  the  social  heart 
with  energy  to  start  and  keep  alive  social  unity,  to  instil  and 
formulate  into  a  system  morality;  to  spread  abroad  happi- 
ness and  contentment,  and  to  create  and  keep  in  conscious- 
ness that  wonderful  compromise  and  harmonious  union 
between  the  warring  social  and  individual  interests,  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  future  life  and  future  rewards  and  punishments. 


AMERICAN  INDIVIDUALISM  173 

Learning,  too,  in  spite  of  the  many  schools,  seems  to  be  in 
danger;  for  the  habit  of  gathering  and  counting  dollars 
passes  into  the  study  halls,  and  knowledge  like  wealth  is  reck- 
oned by  quantity  and  number,  by  the  crammed  accumulation 
of  facts,  while  the  spirit  that  lov-es  truth  is  frightened  away. 

But  the  greatest  foe  to  rank  individualism  is  the  family. 
It  is  there  that  the  power  of  love  converts,  often  in  a  trice, 
a  self-seeking,  self-centered,  callous-hearted,  unsympathetic 
man  into  one  who  will  constantly  toil  and  devote  his  life 
mostly  for  others;  that  will  turn  a  silly,  selfish,  simpering 
girl  into  a  gentle,  kind,  forbearing  matron.  It  is  the  family 
that  founded  the  first  and  model  society,  a  pattern  for  all 
others.  That  misty  vision  of  the  socialists,  a  charm  so  potent 
as  to  create  a  "new  religion,"  that  Utopia  of  social  bliss  and 
perfected  structure  philosophers  have  idealized,  that  heaven 
on  earth  of  peace  and  rest  and  love  that  poets  in  songs  of 
ecstasy  have  dreamed  of,  lies  at  the  very  door  around  the 
hearthstone.  The  family  is  a  chaste  and  silent  star,  first  in  the 
social  system,  that  beams  forth,  not  only  the  individual,  but 
the  social  light  of  life.  Its  far  off  ray  is  still  the  nearest  one 
whence  comes  this  mystic  light.  When  it  goes  out,  there  is 
appalling  darkness  and  universal  death. 

NOTE  AS  TO  FORCES  OF  SOCIALIZATION. 
"If  we  understand  by  ethos  a  body  of  related  standards,  ideals  and  valuations, 
then  we  can  say  that  a  social  ethos  distinct  from  the  private  ethos  is  formed  under 
the  following  conditions.  First,  the  intercourse  by  which  superior  ethical  elements 
are  selected  and  gain  currency,  must  be  long  and  intimate.  Second,  the  individuals 
must  not  be  very  unlike  or  prepossessed  by  clashing  traditions.  Third,  the  group 
must  not  receive  many  strangers,  or  have  close  contact  with  alien  groups.  Fourth, 
there  must  be  a  matrix  of  folk-love,  religion,  literature  or  art,  in  which  the  ethical 
gains  may  be  embedded  and  held  fast.  Fifth,  the  new  ethical  varieties  are  not  safe 
from  swamping  until  they  have  entered  into  tradition,  and  the  young  have  been 
reared  under  them."     Edward  A.    Ross,   in   Social  Control,   Chapter   XXV,   P.   346. 

REFERENCES  FOR  THIS  AND  THE  PRECEDING  CHAPTER. 

On  Trusts  and  Monopolies,  Richard  T.  Ely,  William  M.  Collier,  Jeremiah  W. 
Jenks. 

On   Laissez   Faire,   Adam   Smith. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Democracy  and  the  Family. 
(  I )  Democracy,  a  Social  Force. 

IT  must  be  confessed  that  the  seething  caldron  with  its 
stifling  livid  fumes  around  which  the  hosts  of  ultra 
individualism  and  commercialism  gather  is  private 
industry.  The  domination  of  the  self  may  find  expres- 
sion in  militancy  or  industry  alike,  and  at  present 
seeks  control  by  unjust  industrial  sway.  Nature's  structures 
seem  to  be  built  by  contrary  forces,  pulling  and  pushing,  and 
balancing  by  equilibration,  and  thereby  producing  a  forward 
movement  or  moving  equilibrium,  as  typified  by  the  motion 
of  the  earth  around  the  sun.  In  society,  private  interest  is 
the  centrifugal  force,  while  the  social  sentiments  and  ties  are 
the  centripetal  force.  Both  are  necessary,  but  the  centrifugal 
force  alone  or  predominant  flings  the  constituent  bodies  out 
into  the  cold,  boundless,  lifeless  space,  and  destroys  the  sys- 
tem. 

Now  democracy  is  a  social  more  than  an  antisocial  or  indi- 
vidualistic cause  or  force.  It  possesses  the  strong  social  fea- 
ture that  the  members  or  citizens  are  conscious  of  and 
expected  to  strive  for  the  common  end  of  good  government. 
The  management  of  governmental  affairs  is  a  common  busi- 
ness, and  in  the  cities,  the  actual  transactions  for  roads, 
bridges,  sidewalks,  sewers,  public  buildings,  and  enterprises, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  ownership  or  control  of  all  public  utili- 
ties, are  all  socialistic  in  tendency,  and  inure  the  people  to 
work  together  for  a  common  interest.  It  is  true  that  in  a 
democracy  everybody  is  a  factor,  but  that  is  also  true  of  every 


DEMOCRACY  AND  THE  FAMILY  175 

social  body.  Even  in  a  communistic  society  the  units  are  sup- 
posed to  so  do  the  work  together,  that  an  actual  head  other 
than  the  united  whole,  is  unnecessary.  Democracy  also, 
whether  of  the  type  of  the  Athenian  populace,  or  representa- 
tive as  in  the  United  States,  must  have  the  same  necessary 
obedience  to  authority,  though  it  is  to  a  public  rather  than  a 
personal  authority.  It  is  a  departure  from  personal,  but  not 
from  social  control.  Its  idea  is  a  goddess,  not  merely  of  lib- 
erty, but  whose  soul  is  the  mysterious  embodiment  of  the  souls 
of  a  whole  people. 

(2)  An  Aid  to  the  Family. 

There  seems  to  be  little  evidence  in  history  that  democ- 
racy has  been  on  the  whole  hostile  to  the  family.  The 
Athenian  family  was  rigorous  and  enduring.  The  Spartans 
preserved  their  peculiar  social  system  for  nearly  five  hun- 
dred years,  though  taking  the  boys  from  home  to  the  public 
mess  at  seven  years  of  age.  Family  life  decayed  in  Rome 
chiefly  under  the  empire.  The  Italian  republics  seem  to  have 
waxed  In  population  during  their  ascendency. 

The  American  colonies  were  substantially  republics,  and 
It  may  be  said  that  during  the  first  two  hundred  years  of  this 
republican  country,  the  family  here  throve,  persisted,  devel- 
oped loftiest  ideals,  and  was  fruitful  In  a  numerous  popula- 
tion, to  a  greater  degree  than  almost  anywhere  else  In  history. 
Most  of  the  early  colonists  brought  with  them  an  ardent 
religious  consciousness  fired  by  persecution,  and  over  here 
for  a  long  while  they  were  separated  from  the  philosophic 
and  iconoclastic  contentions  of  Europe,  so  that  their  religious 
faith  was  primitive,  single  and  forceful,  and  they  had  the 
advantage  of  this  faith,  one  of  the  strongest  of  social  bonds. 
Likewise  they  settled  in  lone  spots  upon  separate  farms,  where 
the  family  was  largely  apart  and  distinct  from  other  social 
bodies,  and  thus  acquired  a  special  strength  of  Its  own.  It 
was  kept  aloof  from  the  vices  of  cities,  and  like  the  old  patri- 


176  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

archal  family  its  government  and  control  was  mostly  con- 
fined within  its  own  bounds.  It  was  favored  by  the  economic 
conditions  that  made  it  of  pecuniary  advantage.  Thus  the 
earlier  republic,  whatever  dissocial  seeds  it  may  have  con- 
tained, possessed  unusually  firm,  social  and  integrating  forces 
to  counter-balance  all  elements  of  disruption.  Obedience  to 
public  authority  seems  to  have  been  as  implicit  as  elsewhere, 
and  there  was  developed  a  more  than  ordinary  regard  and 
veneration  for  law;  and  it  may  be  noted  that  the  natural 
object  of  human  reverence  in  a  republic,  is  the  law  and  its 
embodiment  in  public  institutions,  as  is  seen  in  the  Roman 
Republic.  Therefore,  fidelity  gives  place  to  patriotism,  per- 
sonal and  private  sway  to  public  sway,  authority  and  obeis- 
ance to  a  single  individual,  to  acquiescence  in  the  public  will. 

(3)  Dethronement  of  Personal  Sway. 

If,  however,  we  closely  analyze  democracy,  we  find  two 
elements  which  seem  to  be  of  a  disruptive  social  aspect.  They 
are  the  principles  of  equality,  and  the  dethronement  of  per- 
sonal sway.  Of  equality  we  have  spoken,  how  like  any  idea 
taken  singly  and  put  in  the  solitary  laboratory  of  logic,  It 
spreads  out,  a  huge  abnormal  growth,  that  may  overwhelm 
and  bury  other  equally  valid  ideas  and  thus  impair  rational 
balance.  But  equality  lay  in  the  germ  of  Christianity  itself. 
It  was  the  woof  which  with  the  warp  of  "right"  constituted 
justice.  It  was  the  corner-stone  of  all  law,  the  mould  in  which 
liberty  was  cast,  the  frame-work  on  which  hope  and  oppor- 
tunity rested.  Industry  herself  took  wings  of  onward  flight 
when  equality  was  ensured,  and  science  and  art  aspired 
untrammeled  to  its  modern  heights,  when  the  bonds  of  unjust 
discrimination  and  disfavor  were  removed.  Equality  has  in 
all  countries  and  in  every  government  raised  its  exultant  head, 
and  by  virtue  of  its  inherent  virtue  been  mostly  triumphant. 

From  the  beginning  of  human  organization  control  by  per- 
sonal sway  has  been  an  essential  element.     It  contains  the 


DEMOCRACY  AND  THE  FAMILY  177 

idea,  that  one  person  by  virtue  of  his  personal  status  alone  has 
a  natural  authority  to  control  another,  and  it  is  usually  exer- 
cised by  physical  power  with  punitory  consequences.  It  is 
thus  an  antithesis  to  equality.  It  is  against  this  principle  that 
the  Republic  has  waged  an  unceasing  warfare.  The  condition 
wrought  by  this  conflict  has  been  both  a  source  of  strength  in 
inspiring  individual  vigor  and  patriotism,  and  a  source  of 
weakness  in  removing  one  of  the  original  forces  that  make  for 
unity,  decisive  action  and  concentrated  power.  Now  when 
a  new  industrial  marauder  seems  by  trusts,  by  corporation 
schemes,  by  manipulations  of  franchises  and  political  corrup- 
tions to  threaten  the  castle  of  justice,  wherein  every  lowliest 
citizen  is  guarded  that  he  may  begin  life  with  equal  chance, 
there  is  no  czar  or  emperor  to  stay  this  clutching  hand  by 
ukase  or  edict  at  a  single  word;  there  is  only  the  slow,  law- 
bound,  hesitating  voice  of  the  people. 

(4)  Nobility  of  Wives. 

Only  then  can  we  lay  to  democracy  the  loss  of  personal 
sway  in  the  family  between  husband  and  wife,  and  as  to  this 
means  of  control  there  still  lingers  a  strange  admix- 
ture, differing  somewhat  in  different  states.  In  some, 
and  to  some  extent  in  all,  there  still  remain  vestiges 
of  the  common  law  authority  of  the  husband  per  se, 
as  head  of  the  house  irrespective  of  his  property  or 
earnings;  while  in  others,  and  to  some  extent  in  all,  there  has 
arisen  a  new  and  privileged  nobility  of  wives,  who  in  this 
dual  relation  are  exempt  from  laws,  punishments  and  obliga- 
tions binding  upon  the  husband,  and  enjoy  liberties  and  immu- 
nities denied  him.  Perhaps  this  new  nobility,  if  limited  to 
domestic  and  deserving  matrons,  the  would-be  foundresses 
of  abiding  homes,  might  be  in  the  line  of  progress  and  an 
advantage  to  the  family. 

But  as  in  the  republic,  so  in  the  family,  the  clipping  of 
12 


178  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

personal  sway  takes  away  one  of  the  means  of  control  and 
unity,  and  it  must  be  conceded  that  no  small  portion  of  family 
jars,  disagreements,  separations  and  divorces  arise  from  this 
cause,  and  should  the  last  vestiges  of  personal  authority  dis- 
appear from  a  consciousness  informed  as  to  the  liberal  laws 
and  freed  from  religious  scruples,  a  still  greater  proportion 
of  such  family  disruptions  is  likely  to  occur. 

But  family  government  still  has  another  means  of  control 
— the  property  sway,  founded  upon  the  economic  right  of 
property,  and  democracy  by  its  nature  is  rather  the  supporter 
and  mainstay  of  this  right  than  otherwise.  It  was  largely 
the  struggle  for  property  rights  that  brought  into  existence 
republican  government.  So  ingrained  is  that  right  in  the 
hearts  of  this  people  to-day,  that  they  are  loth  even  to  examine 
its  foundations  for  purposes  of  reconstruction.  An  under- 
current of  thoughtful  men  will  re-examine  these  foundations 
of  property  rights  and  laws  as  they  are  now  exercised;  but 
you  can  never  dispense  with  the  coercion  that  comes  from  the 
control  of  property  in  industry,  nor  can  you  ever  dispense  with 
that  coercion  in  the  family,  so  long  as  it  remains  in  any  sense 
an  economic  society;  and  if  it  should  fall  into  the  mongrel 
lap  of  socialism,  then  no  power  of  affection,  no  stringency  of 
law,  no  exhortation  of  the  church  could  preserve  the  mass  of 
mankind  from  free  love.  The  economic  family  is  a  fortress 
to  guard  and  preserve  the  purity,  the  depth,  and  the  culture 
of  love. 

(  5  )  Institutions,  the  Work  of  Nature. 

Thus  like  an  apple  in  the  orchard,  like  a  flower  in  the  gar- 
den, wrought  by  the  skillful  hand  and  finishing  touches  of 
nature,  and  only  aided  by  the  secondary  culture  of  man,  are 
our  old  fashioned  institutions,  as  the  almost  ideal  democracy 
of  the  fathers,  friendly  and  assistant  to  other  necessary  insti- 
tutions, and  suitable  for  the  highest  civilization.  The  Repub- 
lic came  by  nature's  slow  growth,  wherein  wonderful  hidden 


DEMOCRACY  AND  THE  FAMILY  179 

forces  lurking  In  human  character,  gleaned  from  afar  and  but 
assisted  by  human  design,  sprang  up  and  were  welded  Into 
a  beauteous  whole,  to  be  not  only  a  stimulant  to  individual 
ambition  and  a  socializing  energy,  but  a  final  haven  for 
human  happiness,  contentment  and  hope.  Let  no  ruthless 
hand  seek  to  tear  to  tatters  this  perfected  work  by  super- 
ficial theories  spun  from  Idle  brains  In  an  hour  of  pastime, 
or  devised  by  some  promoter  like  an  artful  spider  seeking  for 
its  prey,  and  out  of  the  miserable  fragments  feign  to  con- 
struct some  new  and  artificial  structure — a  shabby  hovel. 

Likewise  the  family  as  we  have  known  it  of  old  New  Eng- 
land, of  the  South  and  of  Europe,  perfected  by  the  slow  accre- 
tions of  ages,  wherein  every  block  and  part  and  element  were 
tested,  fitted  and  applied  by  millions  of  human  beings  indi- 
vidually and  collectively,  guided  by  almost  unerring  Instinct, 
— this  should  hardly  be  shattered  by  the  wild  folly,  the  flllp- 
pant  conceit,  the  hasty  resolution  of  some  daft  reformer  or 
overweening  club.  In  the  true  family  lov^e  is  no  bee  or  bird 
that  flits  from  flower  to  flower.  Order  there  is  no  dire 
confusion,  without  assistant  members  and  directing  center: 
law  is  not  the  name  for  lawless  anarchy,  and  authority  is  not 
exemplified  In  self-willed  limbs,  and  self-less  head.  You 
may  construct  and  build  somewhat  anew,  but  let  your  brick 
be  taken  from  mother  earth,  your  water  from  some  crystal 
fountain,  your  plans  and  methods  mostly  from  what  has  been. 
Only  here  and  there,  little  by  little,  can  a  new  invention  be 
put  in  practice,  a  new  grace  be  added,  a  new  Insight  of 
beauty  and  utility  be  applied.  Nature  in  the  field,  the  gar- 
den, the  constructed  city,  and  in  social  institutions,  will  have 
man  only  as  her  aid  and  waiter  to  bring  her  goods  together, 
and  to  run  on  errands. 

(6)  Love,  the  Foe  of  Selfishness. 

If  there  be  standing  before  us  a  yawning  chasm,  along 
whose  margin  are  the  huge  beasts  of  selfishness  with  gaping 


I80 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


jaws,  whose  bodies  are  spotted  with  deep  dyed  marks  of  indi- 
vidualism, whose  eyes  are  glaring  and  whose  tongues  pant  for 
gold;  there  are  chains  to  bind  the  beasts;  there  are  guard 
rails  to  fend  off  the  chasm;  there  are  guides  to  turn  off  and 
lead  to  another  way,  a  pathway  right  at  hand  already  worn 
and  tried.  The  antithesis  of  selfishness  is  love,  and  when 
life  itself  was  born  in  the  garden  there  were  intertwined  about 
the  self-concentered  body  the  spiritual  wreaths  of  love.  Love 
blossomed,  interwove  its  garlands,  and  fruited  in  the  mating 
pair.  The  soft  breezes,  the  gentle  rains,  the  nourishing  earth, 
all  yield  a  glad  assistance  to  nature's  child  of  love,  nestled  in 
its  cosy,  joyful,  quiet  bower  of  home.  Outspreading  its  wide 
interlacing  branches,  the  family  tree  becomes  the  parent  stock 
of  clans  and  tribes  and  nations,  all  breathing  its  pristine 
atmosphere  of  love  and  unity.  The  family  never  leaves  its 
brood,  else  they  would  die;  but  ever  watches  with  a  mother's 
care  the  outpouring  hosts  of  human  life,  and  binds  them  with 
the  very  bands  of  love  and  common  sentiments,  gathered 
and  ever  flowing  from  its  bosom.  This  family  is  the  great 
means  and  charm  and  end  to  draw  away  from  ultra  individu- 
alistic self  and  shattering  greed.  No  wonder  that  the  latter, 
as  a  fiend,  has  dealt  it  cruel  blows.  But  it  must  rise,  though 
like  a  phoenix  from  its  ashes,  even  from  the  hearts  of  simple 
swains  and  maidens,  to  guard  and  keep  our  hallowed  institu- 
tions and  save  the  nation. 


REFERENCES. 

As  to   Democracy.     James   Bryce,    Edwin    L.    Godkin,   Charles    H.    Pearson,  John 
Fiske. 

As  to  the  "Moving  Equilibrium",  Spencer's  First  Principles. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Forecast. 
(  I )  Changing  Social  Sentiments. 

LIKE  the  weather,  like  the  heaving  bosom  of  the 
everchanging  lake,  the  social  sentiments  of  a 
people  ebb  and  flow,  move  hither  and  thither  in 
spiral  ascent,  but  to  what  is  mostly  a  great  un- 
known. Prophecy  looks  through  a  misty  veil 
whence  the  lines  of  vision  dimly  diverge  into  many  directions, 
and  the  seermust  speak  a  language  of  manifold  ambiguity  with 
crafty  hints  and  artful  suggestions,  so  as  to  include  any  of  the 
possible  events  of  the  future  that  arise  from  changing  public 
opinion.  First  must  you  catch  the  light,  hue  and  current  of 
the  social  atmosphere  of  common  feeling  which  in  America 
flits  and  shifts  so  suddenly;  but  these  changing  aspects  are 
mostly  in  eddies  or  in  progressive  curves,  and  you  must  look 
beyond  out  into  the  distance  and  depth,  where  the  light  is 
more  constant  and  steady  and  the  currents  more  uniform.  If 
there  in  the  future,  you  may  get  a  glimpse  of  the  forces  and 
causes,  the  result  may  be  forecast.  If  these  causes  shall  be 
the  same  as  to-day,  you  can  trace  down  the  line  the  course 
of  the  ship  freighted  with  American  life.  Social  forces  are 
just  as  imperative  in  their  operation  as  physical  forces,  only 
they  are  more  hidden,  mixed  and  manifold.  Reason  is  only 
unerring  when  her  starting  point,  her  premises  are  true,  and 
the  premises  must  be  taken  anew  at  every  venture.  But  there 
are  social  forces  and  currents  impending  that  seem  positive, 
and  from  these  the  same  results  must  be  expected  as  have 
taken  place  in  the  past. 


I«2 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


(2)  The  Population. 

A  nation  must  depend  upon  its  people.  From  present  ten- 
dencies it  appears  that  there  is  a  constant  submergence  of  the 
pristine  population  of  the  northern  states  by  waves  of  for- 
eign immigration,  so  that  a  picture  is  presented  of  a  people 
with  but  superficial  assimiliation,  like  a  vast  army,  marching 
with  slow  tread  across  the  continent  from  the  Atlantic  to 
dissolution  in  the  Pacific,  and  thus  giving  place  to  the  on-com- 
ing hosts. 

Sudden  events,  as  the  cessation  of  immigration  by  industrial 
depression,  legal  restriction  or  any  cause  may  change  the 
whole  course  of  this  stream  of  passing  and  disappearing  life. 
A  renewed  nationality  with  new  ideas  of  the  state  and  family, 
after  many  years,  may  thus  be  built  up  to  ripen  into  new 
schools  of  literature,  art  and  philosophy.  The  rush  for 
wealth  may  stop  in  its  maddening  career;  for  some  great 
spiritual  leader  may  be  able  to  make  clear  to  the  popular  mind 
the  extreme  folly  of  a  people  boasting  of  its  national  wealth 
by  billions,  while  its  own  life  is  fast  wasted  away  and  disap- 
pears before  industrial  invaders  whom  it  deems  inferior  and 
uncouth.  A  social  change  may  re-establish  the  family,  to 
some  extent,  to  its  former  universality,  strength  and  fertility, 
so  as  to  hold  in  check  the  teeming  masses  from  abroad.  Edu- 
cation may  be  so  allied  with  physical  culture  and  the  inculca- 
tion of  family  ideals,  and  a  system  of  restraint  upon  the  defec- 
tive classes  be  put  in  operation,  that  population  may  come 
from  the  better  and  more  intelligent  elements,  and  Francis 
Galton  might  extend  his  system  of  race  culture  or  eugenics  to 
America,  where  now  the  trend  seems  to  be  in  an  opposite  direc- 
tion. At  any  rate,  the  deeper  the  question  is  studied,  the 
more  clearly  it  will  be  seen  that  the  state  of  the  family  is  the 
underlying  and  basic  cause  of  a  people's  evolution,  perpetuity 
and  progress.     The  family  is  not  merely  the  source  or  germ, 


FORECAST  183 


but  the  myriads  of  columns  and  pillars  that  support  the  whole 
social  system. 

(3)  The  Course  of  Ideas. 

The  course  of  special  ideas,  like  comets  if  not  like  planets 
in  their  flight  through  space,  can  be  tracked  and  followed 
in  the  past  and  future  events  of  human  history.  It  would 
seem  that  the  idea  of  sex  equality  and  sameness  has  already 
reached  the  limit  of  its  swing  and  is  turning  the  other  way, 
and  the  pendulum  may,  at  least  at  first,  mov  e  very  fast.  The 
better  thinking  men  are  beginning  clearly  to  see  that  it  is  a 
very  great  risk  to  venture  upon  a  business  home  without  an 
economic  control ;  and  clear  sighted  women  perceive  that  the 
scheme  of  some  of  their  more  grasping  sisters  to  acquire 
dominion  while  still  dependent,  and  to  win  for  themselves 
alone  and  for  special  luxuries  the  fruits  of  industry,  and  still 
call  upon  the  men  deprived  of  these  fruits  to  supply  all  the 
necessaries  and  to  provide  for  families,  cannot  but  fail. 

The  final  result  of  the  extended  employment  of  women  is 
inevitably  to  put  more  and  more  of  the  burdens  of  livelihood 
upon  their  feebler  shoulders,  to  their  disadvantage  and  to  the 
injury  of  the  race;  but  in  so  far  as  she  wills  to  help  her 
brother  in  the  great  industrial  struggle,  let  her  as  bravely 
assume  the  responsibility  even  of  the  family,  and  thereby 
enjoy  the  enchantment  of  power.  Thus  may  she  satisfy  her 
ambition  for  a  public  career,  and  at  the  same  time  solve  the 
chief  riddle  of  family  dissension.  For  there  is  so  clear  a  rule 
of  reason  to  settle  any  family  discord,  it  is  a  wonder  that  there 
should  ever  be  discord.  Ask  but  the  question,  'which  has  and 
will  assume  the  burden  and  responsibility,'  and  after  full  dis- 
cussion, let  him  or  her  who  bears  it  be  the  final  umpire.  Even 
without  love  by  this  rule  it  would  almost  seem  as  if  there 
would  be  harmony  in  married  life.  But  with  love,  with  a 
religious  institution  holding  firm  the  fastness  of  the  nuptial 
tie,  with  supposed  culture,   reason  and  common  sense,   it  is 


1 84  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

a  disgrace  to  any  people,  even  a  sign  of  moral  baseness  so 
great  that  they  seem  hardly  fit  to  survive,  if  there  should  seem 
to  be  impending  a  general  family  dissolution,  and  an  entrance 
upon  the  low  and  barbarous  wastes  and  wilds  of  free  love. 

(4)  Maternity. 

I  have  heard  a  cry  sounding  like  an  unknown  insect's 
piping  voice  in  the  dark  still  night,  that  the  cleverness  of 
women  had  become  so  great  as  to  be  a  danger  and  menace  to 
maternity.  What  a  satire  would  this  be  on  human  civiliza- 
tion, education  and  reason!  Were  this  the  case,  ignorance 
itself  would  rise  up  with  its  horned  hand  and  smite  such  a 
people,  so  devoid  of  knowledge  and  insight  as  to  nature's 
plan  and  purpose.  Before  the  dim  light  of  human  conscious- 
ness arose,  far  back  in  the  beginning  of  life,  love  lay  nestled 
in  the  lap  of  reproduction,  ever  to  rise  and  grow  and  become 
the  glittering  light,  the  guiding  star  of  human  hope,  culture 
and  civilization.  Love  later  appears,  as  a  dazzling  crown 
bejewelled  with  the  most  sparkling  and  precious  gems,  to  sit 
upon  the  brow  and  permeate  the  soul  of  the  most  perfect 
human  being  that  would  bestow  her  gifts  perhaps  her  all  to 
others.  Nature's  promise  and  fulfillment  is,  for  every  gift 
and  grant  to  others,  a  manifold  reward.  The  giver's  void  is 
filled  by  a  replenished  and  embellished  character  and  soul. 
Every  proper  function  has  its  commensurate  joy  in  feeling. 
All  the  family  sacrifices  pay.  Love  everywhere  carries  its 
reward  in  its  own  palm,  and  for  every  deed  the  coin  jingles 
into  the  basket  near  the  lover's  heart.  Wisely  did  nature 
choose  woman,  as  that  perfect  being  to  bear  the  crown  of  love, 
and  give  to  her  its  source  and  foundation,  the  inestimable 
privilege  of  her  own  darling  child.  Without  that  source 
engendering  and  preserving  love,  the  family  withers,  affec- 
tion dies,  and  marriage  becomes  a  mockery  and  degenerate, 
and  the  people  with  hopes  and  courage  vanishing,  with  the 


FORECAST  185 


sun  setting  in  a  black  cloud,  are  ready  for  a  night's  debauch- 
ery even  unto  death. 

(5)  The  Burning  Question. 

The  American  democracy  is  young.  Its  life  blood  is  still 
vigorous  and  strong.  It  should  not  have  passed  beyond  the 
first  stages  of  evolutionary  progress.  Among  the  people  in 
general  there  is  still  firm  morality,  ardent  religion  and  force- 
ful character.  The  descendents  of  the  foreign  immigration 
have  largely  the  natural  fondness  and  enthusiasm  for  repub- 
lican institutions  of  the  Revolutionary  fathers.  The  people 
possess  a  magnificent  energy,  incited  by  change,  by  climate,  by 
prospects  of  wealth,  by  rise  in  social  condition  and  by  the  bril- 
liant future  presented  of  the  fast  growing  country.  If  there 
be  discontent,  ill  feeling  and  misanthropy,  it  would  seem  that 
they  must  arise  from  hindrances,  snags  or  obstructions  to 
the  inevitable  progress.  We  have  only  struck  a  bar  in  the 
stream  of  the  free  and  enlightened  progression  of  a  great 
people. 

Formerly  military  chieftains  oblivious  to  the  interests  of 
others,  to  sate  their  private  ambition,  overthrew  civilizations 
and  devastated  nations.  To-day  the  self  same  spirit  of  pri- 
vate domination,  under  the  same  pretense  of  unity  and  order, 
and  by  authority  of  the  sacred  claims  and  rights  of  property, 
is  seeking  through  industrialism  the  same  individual  power 
and  control  over  the  rights  and  happiness  of  the  many. 
And  the  people,  though  energetic  and  full  of  natural  moral 
courage,  are  weak  to  thwart  the  danger  because  not  assimi- 
lated, homogeneous  or  united  in  sentiment;  but  rather  they 
busily  scurry  about,  each  at  his  own  castle,  and  know  not 
whither  collectively  to  turn.  Law  is  the  bulwark  of  the 
Republic,  but  law  must  be  interpreted  and  enforced  unitedly 
by  the  people.  Their  statesman,  though  seeing  with  clearest 
eye  what  may  be  necessary,  must  still  listen  for  their  voice 
and  approval.    The  fortress  of  ^^e  law  and  constitution  has 


1 86  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

to  some  extent  become  an  insurrectionary  nest,  a  hidden  con- 
clave for  enemies,  and  a  bold  leader  cannot  dislodge  them,  as 
in  a  more  autocratic  government,  until  the  people  understand 
and  act. 

This  snag  or  obstruction  we  have  met,  involves  the  pivotal 
question,  "what  is  the  true  right  of  property?"  which  we  have 
found  concerns,  not  only  industry,  but  the  home.  Around 
that  burning  question,  as  a  camp  fire,  sit  arrayed  the  warring 
hosts.*  Let  the  conflict  be  intellectual,  and  not  physical,  and 
all  will  be  well,  expecting  an  evolution,  not  so  much  from  the 
wisdom  of  the  individual  or  of  the  few,  as  from  the  conflict- 
ing opinions  of  the  many.  In  industry,  many  of  the  arrogant 
claims  of  the  right  of  property  through  the  law  should  be 
curtailed,  and  a  profound  sentiment  of  icalty  to  the  true  right 
of  ownership  be  restored.!  In  the  family,  it  would  seem  that 
already  too  far  a  misty  socialism  has  impaired  the  simple 
right  to  have,  administer  and  control  the  product  of  your 
hand  and  brain.  In  every  case,  the  country  needs  a  concord 
and  union  of  its  people. 

(6)   Progress  Inevitable. 

If  the  future  sky  of  America  be  overcast,  the  clouds  are 
apparent,  and  many  seem  to  be  floating  by.  A  temporary 
rainbow  peers  forth  through  the  mists  from  the  blue  depths, 
and  the  day  will  brighten  with  the  advancing  tide  of  time. 
Most  of  the  ills  of  the  country  seem  to  have  arisen  like 
tempests,  in  an  attempt  too  hastily  to  overthrow  the  dearly 
bought  lessons  of  the  past.  Agitators  rise  up  suddenly  with 
crude  concepts  of  social  forces,  and  led  chiefly  by  individual 
and  selfish  motives,  seek  to  cast  overboard  the  compass  and 
anchor  of  the  world's  experience  and  plunge  into  an  unknown 
sea.      But  most  of  these  new  theories  will  be  short-lived, 


*See  Interrelations  of  Industry  with  the  Family,  Sections  i  and  2. 
tThe  solution  of  the  industrial  question  requires  no  radical  change.     It  is  chiefly 
to  eradicate  monopoly  and  promote  the  equalization  of  wealth. 


FORECAST  187 


and  their  patrons  engulfed  in  nature's  abyss,  where  lie  sub- 
merged the  remains  of  those  unfitted  to  survive  while  the 
pressing  throng  above  them  pass  on. 

A  new  sunrise  occurs  on  each  morrow,  new  life  appears 
where  the  old  was  swept  away,  and  nature  and  human  rea- 
son constantly  vie  with  each  other  to  select  the  better  as  the 
new  things  appear,  and  make  progress  inevitable,  if  we 
could  only  reach  the  point  of  selecting  our  people,  and  leading 
the  social  body  with  united  sentiment  towards  the  highest 
goal.  But  the  people  must  be  born  and  trained  from  infancy 
upon  this  soil,  with  a  fondness  for  its  every  feature  and  a  rev- 
erence for  its  history  and  institutions.  For  that  purpose, 
greater  than  the  need  of  statesman  who  must  follow  the  peo- 
ple, of  public  instructors  and  teachers  who  self-regarding  obey 
the  voice  of  public  opinion,  is  the  need  of  intelligent,  conse- 
crated American  mothers,  devoted  to  the  sublime  task  of  first 
and  most  fervently  imparting  the  light  of  love  and  knowledge, 
to  the  wonderful  recipient  mind  of  childhood  in  the  sacred 
home. 

(7)  The  Family  Ideal. 

Is  there  no  new  family  ideal  to  be  presented  ?*  The  family 
ideal  is  mostly  old  and  tried,  within  your  very  hand  and  at 
your  feet.  Among  many  barbarous  tribes  there  is  more  sanity 
in  notions  of  the  family  than  in  many  theories  afloat.  Fidel- 
ity and  the  troth-plight  in  marriage  are  as  old  as  the  first 
dawn  of  culture.  That  was  never  an  empty  ceremony  of 
mere  words.  No  tribal  pledges,  no  religious  vows,  could 
be  deeper  and  more  sacred.  Holiness  and  sanctity  have  with 
increasing  fervor  attended  the  nuptial  rite.    All  history  teems 


*A  theoretical  conception  of  the  family  is  a  patriarchal  community  where  the 
husband  provides,  a  matriarchal  community  where  the  wife  provides,  and  a  communi- 
ty with  both  features  combined  and  a  dual  head,  where  both  husband  and  wife  equally 
provide  and  are  responsible.  This  economic  structure  may  lie  enshrouded  and  con- 
cealed in  the  rosy  hue  of  love,  which  the  eye  of  reason  will  penetrate  and  not  be 
able  to  discover  another  possible  ideal  except  in  socialism,  wherein,  if  that  form  of 
society  could  now  exist,  the  distinctive,  permanent  family  itself  would  disappear. 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


with  lessons  of  the  economic  family,  the  father  struggling 
in  financial  exigencies  to  provide,  while  the  mother,  taught 
from  earliest  childhood  with  every  bent  towards  household 
thrift,  has  been  a  ready  mate  in  the  two-fold  economy.  There 
is  no  new  theory  of  love;  only  it  may  descend  farther  and 
farther  into  the  depths  of  being,  and  rise  higher  and  higher 
into  the  loftiest  empyrean  of  emotional  flight.  It  has  no  lim- 
its. Reason  cannot  reach  beyond  equality,  and  would  forbid 
one  to  love  his  neighbor  better  than  himself.  Love  may 
speed  onward  unfettered  by  compulsion,  and  free  in  all  its 
range  soar  far  beyond  equality  and  justice. 

Even  in  the  first  rude  conscious  pair  there  must  have  been 
the  father's  pride  of  offspring,  and  following  the  pangs  there 
came  to  the  first  mother  the  peaceful  bliss  of  love,  the  great- 
est token  of  nature's  heart  beating  in  unison  with  her  crea- 
ture— this  love  to  spread  until  it  suffuses  the  entire  being  of 
the  woman,  and  thence  by  sympathy  draws  the  apathetic 
man  and  the  cold  hearted  selfish  souls  without,  all  into  ties  of 
social  love.  The  family  then  simply  needs  the  old  story  to  be 
repeated  with  refreshened  interest,  with  only  such  new  ter- 
minal buds  as  naturally  grow  upon  the  old  bough  of  the  old 
tree,  decked  with  the  symmetry  and  rime  of  ages.  It  will 
bear  this  four-fold  motto : — Love,  with  obedience  to  the  law 
that  power  and  responsibility  are  inseparable :  Lasting  fidel- 
ity with  a  supreme  horror  of  separation :  A  husband's  eco- 
nomic fitness  and  courage  to  provide,  a  housewife's  love- 
born  contentment  in  lesser  things  to  save,  with  economic  rights 
based  upon  earning  or  saving :  Natural  and  unswerving  pride 
of  posterity,  with  a  feeling  akin  to  worship  for  the  child. 


INDEX. 


AGE   OF   CONSENT 117-118 

ALIMONY  IN  THE  COMMON  LAW  98-101 

ALIMONY  DAMAGES,  THE  BASIS 109 

ALIMONY  ENCOURAGES   DIVORCE    109-110 

ALIMONY  FOUNDATION   GONE   no 

ALIMONY  TO   PLAINTIFF  OR   DEFENDANT 108 

ALIMONY  TEMPORARY    108-109,    no   note 

ALTRUISM  OF  THE  PAGANS  51 

ANABOLISM   22-23 

ANARCHY  IN  THE  FAMILY. ..  .96,  loi,  111-112,  163,   169,   179,   186 

ANARCHY  IN  THE  GOVERNMENT  169 

ANARCHY  IN    INDUSTRY    162-163 

ANARCHY   IN  THE  SCHOOLS    171-172 

ANCESTOR  WORSHIP   48 

ANTINOxMIES,  PARALYZING  i37-i39.  162-163 

ANTINOMIES,  A  FOOL'S  PUZZLE  138-139 

ANTINOMIES,    KANT'S    139    note 

ANTINOMIES,    INDUSTRIAL    162-163 

ATTRACTION  OF  SEX   26 

AUTHORITY   OF  THE   PROVIDER   

32,  33,  50,  55,  91,  95-96,  161,  163,  183,  187  note 

BEAUTY  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE   46 

BELOVEDNESS    126-127 

BURNING  QUESTION    185-186 

CASTE  FROM   SEX   AVERSION    26 

CASTE  AS  TO  DOMESTIC  SERVANTS 86-87,  91  note 

CASTE  AFFECTING  POPULATION   145,   i47 

CELL,  FISSION  OF 21,  170 

CELL,  COMBINATION  OF  21,  42-43 

CHASTITY  IN  CHRISTIANITY   54-55 

CHASTITY  IN   INDUSTRY   88-89 

CHASTITY  OF  MEN   45 

CHASTITY  OF  WOMEN   49,  54-55,  88-89 

CHILDHOOD,   STAR   OF   54 

CHILDREN  OF  FOREIGNERS 70-71.  73,  146-147 

CHINESE,  STANDARD  OF  LIVING 145-146 

CHRISTIANITY,  AS  TO  THE  CHILD   54 

CHRISTIANITY,   IN   DIVORCE   107 

CHRISTIANITY,  IN  THE  FAMILY   52-53 

CHRISTIANITY,  ORIGIN  OF  ITS  TERMS  36,  52 

CHRSTIANITY,  PATRIA   POTESTAS   55-56 


I90  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

CHRISTIANITY,  FOR  REFORM   131-132 

CHRISTIANITY,  RELIGION  OF  LOVE 52,  120,  157 

COEDUCATION     i35-i39 

COERCION  35,  93,  118-119,  131,  158,  178 

COMMUNITY  IN  MARRIAGE.  .33  note  102-103,  no  note  164,  187  note 

COxMMUNISAI 31-32 

CONSCIOUSNESS,  PHASE  OF  NATURE  25,  42 

CIVILIZATION,  BUILT  UPON  THE  PATRIARCHATE  33 

CIVILIZATION,  A  GROWTH  29-30,  165,  179 

CIVILIZATION,  SYSTEM   OF  CULTURE   52 

CLUBS,    EXCLUSIVE    119-120 

CONJUGAL   LOVE    53 

CORPORATIONS   158-164,    186 

COURTSHIP.   AMERICAN    125-126 

COURT  DECISIONS  75,  104.  160 

CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY,  CHRISTIANITY  52-56 

CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY,  NECESSARY  41 

CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY,  PAGAN  48-51 

CULTURES  OF  THE  FAMILY,  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE  .47 

DECADENCE   OF  THE  YANKEES    63-74 

DECADENCE  OF  THE  YANKEES,  CAUSES  OF  73-74 

DEGENERACY 74  note,  81-82,  114-115,  127-128,  134,  153-154 

DEMOCRACY     184-185 

DEMOCRACY,  AID  TO  THE  FAMILY   175-1/6 

DEMOCRACY  AND  PLUTOCRACY  160 

DEMOCRACY  AND  PROPERTY  SWAY   176,  178 

DEMOCRACY,  A  SOCIAL  FORCE I74-I75 

DIFFERENCE  OF  SEX   23-24,  35,  42-43,   139-140 

DISADVANTAGES  OF  THE  FAMILY  38-39 

DIVORCE   AND   SEPARATION    106-112 

DIVORCE  AND  SEPARATION.  CAUSES  AND  REMEDIES.  .112 
DIVORCE    AND    SEPARATION,    HORROR    OF    SEPARA- 
TION   107 

DIVORCE  AND  SEPARATION,   REMARRIAGE   106 

DIVORCE  AND  SEPARATION  AS  REMEDIES  99-100 

DOWER  AND   DOWRY   27 

EDUCATION,  AID  TO  THE  FAMILY  135 

EDUCATION,   ANTINOMIES   i37-i39 

EDUCATION.  EFFECT  OF  SCHOOLS  141-142 

EDUCATION,  FAMILY  IDEALS   142-143 

EDUCATION,  AS  TO   INDIVIDUALISM    171-172 

EDUCATION,  MALE  AND  FEMALE  TEACHERS   142 

EDUCATION,  PHYSICAL  CULTURE  IN  140-141 

EDUCATION,  OF  THE  PURITANS  59 

EDUCATION,  SEX  DIFFERENCES  IN   139-140 

EDUCATION,  WOMAN'S  PROGRESS  IN  136-140 

ECONOMIC  FAMILY  19,  28,  37-42,  92,  161,  188 

ECONOMIC  FREEDOM  A  DREAM 96 


INDEX  191 

ECONOMIC  FREEDOM  BEST  IN  THE  FAMILY  96-97 

ELEMENTS.  THE  TWO  TWIN  17.  iQ.  92 

EMOTION,  FREEDOM  OF 123-124 

EMOTION,  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE  44-45 

EMOTION,  IN  THINKING  92,  122 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN   83-84-85 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN,  CAUSES  OF  86 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN,  EFFECT  ON  CHASTITY  89-90 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN,  EFFECT  ON  MARRIAGE  ....86-87 
EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN,  EVIL  EFFECTS  AND  CURE. 89-90 

EMPLOYMENT  OF  WOMEN,  GOOD  EFFECTS 87-88 

ENDOGAMY     26 

END,  INDIVIDUAL  AND  SOCIAL  157 

END,  THE  SOCIAL   18,  25 

END,  SOCIAL  OR  INDIVIDUAL  91  note 

EQUALITY   IN    EDUCATION    136-139 

EQUALITY,  EFFECT  OF  80-81 

EQUALITY,  IN  INDUSTRY  86,  88,  95 

EQUALITY.  MARRIAGE   55.   112.113 

EQUALITY,  LOGICAL  END  OF  77 

EQUALITY,   MEANING  OF   76 

EQUALITY,  AGAINST  NATURE  81-82 

EQUALITY.  IN  THE  REPUBLIC  176-177 

ETHICS  OF  THE  FAMILY  55-56.79-80,  123,  139,  163,  183 

EVOLUTION  OF  EQUALITY  87.  119,  176.  183 

EVOLUTION  OF  IDEAS  75.  176.  183 

EVOLUTION  OF  LAW  OF  MARRIAGE  99.  104 

EX  O  GAM  Y     26 

FAMILY,  AN  ECONOMIC  SOCIETY. ..  .19,  28,  ZT,  40.  92.   i6i.   1S8 

FAMILY,  A  CHASTE  STAR  173 

FAMILY,  ITS  COST   39 

FAMILY,  FOUNDATION  OF  SOCIAL  SYSTEM  29.  173.  1/9 

FAMILY,  FOUR-FOLD   MOTTO    188 

FAMILY,  INDEPENDENT  OF  GOVERNMENT  2>i^  164 

FAMILY,  THE  IDEAL 142-143,  173.  187-188  note 

FAMILY.  INSTITUTIQN  28-29,  41,  165.  178-179 

FAMILY,  MUST  RISE  AGAIN  180 

FAMILY,  THE  PARENT  STOCK  iSo 

FAMILY,  THE  PAST  AND  PRESENT  BONDS  170-171 

FEELING  AND  FUNCTION   153 

FEMALE    SUFFRAGE    79-80.    117-118 

FEMALES.   NUMBER   EMPLOYED    83-84 

FISSION    21.    170 

FOREIGNERS.  CHILDREN  OF  70-71.  147-147 

FOREIGNERS,  CHOICE  CLASS  HERETOFORE 150.  185 

FOREIGNERS.  NUMBER  OF,  Table  I  63 

FOREIGNERS,  RESIDENCE  IN  CITIES  74.  14S 

FREE  LOVE  46-47.  77.  loi.  i24-r"25,  184 


192  THE  AMERICAN  FAMIEY 


FREE  LOVE.  BELOVEDNESS  126-127 

FREE  LOVE,  THE  CHILD  A  REMEDY  127-128 

FREE  LOVE,  CONFOUNDED  WITH  LOVE  125 

FREE  LOVE,  EFFECT  OF  125 

FREE  LOVE,  EMOTIONAL  THINKING  122 

FREE  LOVE,  HORROR  OF  124 

FREE  LOVE,  AND  SOCIALISM  178,  187  note 

FRENCH  AND   ENGLISH    COLONIES    60 

FUTURE  REWARDS  AND  PUNISHMENTS 57.  172-173 

GIFTS  OF  LOVE,  MAN'S  AND  WOMAN'S 42 

GREATEST,    HE  THAT    LOVES    20 

GROUP  FEELINGS,  ORIGIN  AND  USE  OF 167-168 

HOME,  AND  EDEN   17 

HOME,  REMEDY  FOR  INDIVIDUALISM  172-173 

HORROR   OF   ABORTION    i53 

HORROR  OF  FREE  LOVE  124 

HORROR  OF  ILLEGITIMACY  154  note 

HORROR  OF  INCEST   26 

HORROR  OF  SEPARATION   107 

HOUSEHOLD  GODS  48-49 

HUSBAND'S   RIGHTS   99-ioo 

HUSBAND'S  PRESUMPTION  OF  SUPERIORITY   loo-ioi 

IDEAS,  EVOLUTION  OF 75,  104,  183 

IMMIGRATION,  Table   II    65 

IMMIGRATION,  NUMBER  AND  INCREASE  64-65 

IMMIGRATION,  AS  TO   FERTILITY   147-148 

IMMIGRATION.  PERILS  OF  150-151 

IMMORTALITY    21,  54,  57,   172-173 

INDEPENDENCE    OF    WOMEN,     REQUIRES     EMPLOY- 
MENT    86 

INDIVIDUALISM.  CAUSE  OF  AMERICAN 168-169 

INDIVIDUALISM,  HOSTILE  TO  THE  FAMILY  169-170 

INDIVIDUALISM,  TENDS  TO  SEPARATION   170 

INDIVIDUALISM,  UNFIT  TO  SURVIVE  155-156 

INDUSTRIAL  INVADERS  145-146,  182 

INDUSTRY,    RELATION  OF  TO  FAMILY  158-166 

INFERTILITY,   CAUSES  OF   134.147-148 

INSTITUTION,   FAMILY   28-29,41,   165,   178-179 

JEWS,  SURVIVAL  OF   58 

KATABOLISM      22-23 

LAW  AS  A  CAUSE  OF  DIVORCE  107,  no 

LAW,  THE  COMMON  98 

LAW,  AS  TO  FAMILY  COMMUNITY 102,  1 10  note,  164  note 

LAW,    COLLUSION    in 

L'^W,  CONFUSION  OF,  IN  MARRIAGE   104-105 

LAW,  CONFUSION  OF  IN  SCIENCE  122-123 

LAW,  SHOULD  CHECK  DIVORCE  in 

LAW,  THE  MATRIMONIAL 98-105 


INDEX  193 

LAW,   MUTUAL   COVENANTS    98-99 

LAW,  OF  NEW  YORK  105  note 

LAW,  COERCING  THE  PATRIARCH  BY  131 

LABOR    UNIONS    159 

LAISSEZ  FAIRE   163-165 

LOVE,  ANTIDOTE  FOR  SEX  WARFARE 114,  120-121,  131-132 

LOVE,  IN  THE  CHURCH  120,  132,  157 

LOVE,  CURE  FOR  INDUSTRIAL  ILLS  .....91 

LOVE,  IN  THE  FAMILY   

28-29,  33-34,  42,  91.  120-121,  155-157.  173.  178,  179.  184.   188 

LOVE,  AND  FEAR  35-36,  158,  163 

LOVE,  FOE  OF  SELFISHNESS 157.  180 

LOVE,  ALONE,  INSUFFICIENT   162 

LOVE,  AND  LIVELIHOOD  17-20 

LOVE,  MEANS  OF  REFORM  1.31-132,  157 

LOVE,  IN  MONOGAMY   34-35 

LOVE.  NATURE  OF   19 

LOVE,  OBJECT  OF  SCIENCE  122-123 

LOVE,  EARLY  ORIGIN   20.   115,   121 

LOVE,  REWARDED  BY  SURVIVAL  156-157,   184 

LOVE,  ROMANTIC   42-47 

LOVE,  NO  NEW  THEORY  188 

LOVE,  WAND  TO  LIFT  MANKIND   155 

MAN,  THE  BEGINNER  IN  LOVE  45 

MAN,  SUPERIORITIES  OF   24,  42-44,   139-140 

MARRIAGE,  EFFECT  OF  COEDUCATION  1.36-139 

MARRIAGE,   EFFECT  OF  WOMAN'S  EMPLOYMENT 86-87 

MARRIAGE,  FREE  77-78,  101-102 

MARRIAGE.  THE  RATE   148  note 

MARRIAGE,  TIES  OF   78-79.   127-128 

MARRIAGE.  EQUALITY  IN  112-113 

MASSACHUSETTS  AND   NORTH  CAROLINA   71-72 

MATERNITY 20.  24,  35.  42.  56,  141.  184-185,  187,  188 

MATRIARCHATE   31-32,  187  note 

METABOLISM     22 

MILITANCY  160,  174 

MODE   IMITATION    168-169 

MONOGAMY    34 

MONOPOLY   158-160,   164,   185-186 

MOTIVES   FOR   MARRIAGE   40 

NOBILITY  OF  WIVES  177-178 

PATERNAL  POWER 32-33,  50.  55,  161,  162 

PATRIARCHATE 32-33.  55.  Qi.  187  note 

PATRIARCH,    DRINKING    129 

PATRIARCH.  GAMBLING   130 

PATRIARCH,  COERCION  BY  LAW   131 

PEOPLE  MAKE  THE  COUNTRY  148-149,  182 

PEOPLE,  SELECTION  OF  150,   182 


194  THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 

PERSONAL  SWAY  98,  158,   176-178 

POLYGAMY      34 

POSSESSION  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE  46-47 

PRECIOSITY   IN   FRANCE   iiQ 

PRIMARY  SEX   QUALITIES   23 

PROGRESS,  A  SLOW   GROWTH    165 

PROGRESS,  INEVITABLE 185,  186-187 

PROGRESS,  SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 152-153 

PROMISCUITY    31,  40 

PROMISCUITY.  EFFECT  OF  EQUALITY  82,  89 

PROMISCUITY,  TWO  FORMS  OF  40 

PROMISCUITY,  IN  FREE  LOVE  124-125 

PROMISCUITY,  IN  PROMISCUOUS  INDUSTRY  89 

PROMISCUITY,  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE   44 

PROMISCUITY,  AS  TO   REMARRIAGE  106,   112 

PROPERTY   RIGHT,   CONTROLS   PERSONS    95-96,    178 

PROPERTY  RIGHT.  ESSENTIAL  TO  THE  FAMILY 160-161 

PROPERTY  RIGHT,  THE  MARK  OF  THE  AGE 158 

PROPERTY  RIGHT,  SACRED   160-161 

PROPERTY  RIGHT,  IN  WIFE  AND  CHILDREN   50 

PROPINQUITY  BETWEEN  THE  SEXES  26,  125,  136 

PURITANS   57,  62 

PURITANS,  THEIR   EDUCATION    59 

PURITANS,  THEIR  ENERGY   58-59 

PURITANS,  THEIR   NUMBER   59 

PURITANS,  THEIR  RELIGION   57-S8 

RACE  INSTINCT  25,  52,  149,  167 

RELIGION,  IN  FAMILY  INSTITUTION   27,  52-53,  132 

RELIGION,  AS  A  FORCE  52,  57,  172-173 

RELIGION,   FOR   REFORM    132,    I57,    172 

RELIGION,   NATURAL 27,  48 

RELIGION,  POWER  OF   57,  125 

RELIGION,  RACE  INSTINCT 25,  52,  149 

RELIGION,  REMEDY  FOR  PRIVATE  MORALS  105 

RELIGION,   REMEDY   FOR  SELFISHNESS   i57 

RELIGION  TO   STOP  DIVORCE   107 

RELIGION,  TERMS  FROM  THE  FAMILY   2,6 

RELIGION,  AGAINST  UNNATURALNESS  i54  note 

REMARRIAGE  106-107,  1 12,  124 

RESETTLEMENT  OF  THE  NORTH 72-7Z,  182 

RESPONSIBILITY   AND   POWER  COEXTENSIVE 

55,  89,  94-95,  139,  160-161,  183 

SECONDARY  SEX  QUALITIES   23 

SENTIMENTS    25-29,   167-168,    181 

SENTIMENTAL  THINKING   92,  122 

SEPARATION,   HORROR   OF 107 

SEPARATION,  MAY  BE  WORSE  THAN  DIVORCE 107-108 

SEX,  ATTRACTION  OF  26 


INDEX  195 

SEX,  BEGINNING  OF 21 

SEX.  DIFFERENT  EMPLOYMENTS  OF   88-89 

SEX,  EQUALITY  OF  75-82 

SEX,  DEFERENCE  TO  88-89 

SEX,   IN   PLANTS   22 

SEX,   SECOND   STAGE    22 

SEX,   THIRD   STAGE    22 

SEX,  UNLIKENESS  OF 23-24,  42-43,  81-82 

SEX,    WARFARE    1 14-121 

SEX,  CONSCIOUSNESS   121   note 

SOCIALISM  AND  ANARCHY   169 

SOCIALISM,     DESTROYS     FAMILY     AND     LOVE     AND 

PROPERTY   95,   186 

SOCIALISM,  ITS  DREAM  OF  FREEDOM  96 

SOCIALISAL  ITS  TRUE  IDEAL  HOME 173 

SOCIALIZATION   169,  173  note 

SPURNERS  OF  LOVE  i54-i55 

STANDARD  OF  LIVING  144-147 

SUPERIORITIES,  THE  CAUSE  OF  LOVE 42-43 

SUPERIORITIES,  OF  MAN 24,  42-44,  139-140 

SUPERIORITIES,   MUTUAL   42-43 

SUPERIORITIES,    OF  WOMAN 24,35,45,56,  117,  133,  184 

SURVIVAL  NOT  PROBABLE  UNDER  EQUALITY 81  note 

SURVIVAL  OF  THE  TRIBE  27-28 

SURVIVAL,  EFFECT  OF  UNNATURALNESS 154  note 

SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST 152-157 

SURVIVAL   OF  THE  FITTEST,    THE    IDEAL    OF    PRO- 
GRESS   152-153 

SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST,  FEELING  AND  FUNCTION.  .153 

SURVIVAL  OF  THE  FITTEST,  MALTHUSIANISM   154 

TABLE  I,  INCREASE  OF  POPULATION   63 

TABLE  II,  IMMIGRANTS  65 

TABLE  III,   NORTH   ATLANTIC    DIVISION    67 

TABLE  IV,  NORTH  CENTRAL  DIVISON  68 

TABLE  V,  SOUTH  ATLANTIC   DIVISION    68 

TABLE  VI,  SOUTH  CENTRAL  DIVISION  69 

TABLE  VII.  WESTERN  DIVISION  69 

TABLE,  DESCRIBED  70-71 

TABLE  VIII,  FEMALES  EMPLOYED   S3 

TABLE  IX,  FEMALES  EMPLOYED  IN  CITIES  84 

TAX    PAYERS'    REPRESENTATION    ;i6o 

UNDERLIVERS,    SURVIVAL   OF    144-151 

UNITY  OF  FAMILY  REQUIRES  A  HEAD  92-93 

UNITY     OF     FAMILY     REQUIRES     RECOGNITION     OF 

PROPERTY    95-96,    161 

UNITY  OF  THE  FAMILY  REQUIRES  RESPONSIBILITY 

AND  CONTROL  94,  161-162 


196 


THE  AMERICAN  FAMILY 


UNITY  OF  FAMILY  REQUIRES  ECONOMICAL   STRUC- 
TURE    Z7,  92,   163 

UNLIKENESS  IN   SEX    23-24,  42-43 

UNLIKENESS  IN  SEX,  CAUSE  OF  ATTRACTION  26 

UNLIKENESS  IN  SEX,  CAUSE  OF  ROMANTIC  LOVE. ..  .42-43 

UNLIKENESS  IN  SEX,  OPPOSED  BY  EQUALITY   81-82 

UNNATURALNESS  IN  SEX   35.   I34,   I54  note 

VARIATION  OF  THE  MALE 22,,  27,  43-44,  "4 

VARIATION  OF  THE  MALE,  IN  ROMANTIC  LOVE   43-44 

VICES  AND  VIRTUES   MIXED    i33-i34 

V/ARFARE  OF  SEX  8c,  114-121,  131 

WARFARE  OF  SEX,   DANGERS   OF 118-119 

WIFE   CAPTURE    26-27 

WIFE'S    RIGHTS    loi 

WIFE'S  RIGHTS,  BASIS  OF  103 

WTFE'S   RIGHTS,   NOT   AFFECTED    BY    TIME    OF   MAR- 
RIAGE     103-104  note 

WIFE'S  RIGHTS,  IN  THE  COMMUNITY   OF  MARRIAGE 

102-104,  164  note,  187  note 

WIFEHOOD   A   PROTECTION    79-89,    116 

WOMAN,  CAUSE  OF  EMPLOYMENT  OF  86 

WOMAN,   CAUSE  OF   HER   SUPREMACY    117-118 

WOMAN,  A  CHIEF  SOCIAL  FACTOR   51,  87,  116-117 

WOMAN,   EXCLUSIVE  SOCIAL   CLUBS    119-120 

WOMAN,  IN  EQUALITY  FALLS  78 

WOMAN,  FILLS  34  PER  CENT.  OF  PROFESSIONS 87,  i37 

WOMAN,  HIGHER  EDUCATION  OF  139-140 

WOMAN,  HER  ILLS  VOLUNTARY  86,  91  note,  116-118 

WOMAN,  INDEPENDENCE  OF,  DEMANDS  EMPLOYMENT.86 

WOMAN,  AND  RESPONSIBILITY  86,  89,  94-95,  183 

WOMAN,  PLAINTIFF  IN  DIVORCE   no 

WOMAN,  PRECIOSITY   119 

WOMAN,   THE   PRIESTESS    94-95 

WOMAN,  SLAVERY  OF   26-27,  2,2,,  Si,   115-116 

WOMAN,  SUPERIORITIES  OF 24,  35,  45,  56,  117,  i33,  184 

WOMAN,  NEEDS  SUPERIOR  PROTECTION   79-80,   116 

WOMAN,  SELECTIO'N  BY 32,  34,  79,  9i,  ii3,  132-133 

YANKEES  SEPARATED   FROM   IMMIGRANTS 65 

YANKEES,   NUMBER   OF,   COLUMN   6  TABLES 65-70 

YANKEES,   NORTHERN  AND   SOUTHERN    71-72 

YOUNG  AMERICA    171-172 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


kiaiuiii 


ftEC'D  LD-URD 


52 


MN 19 1977 


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